La Altena Distillery

La Altena is a distillery located in Arandas, in the highlands region of Jalisco, Mexico. It is the home of Casa Herradura alumni and master distiller Carlos Camarena, one of the more respected figures in the tequila industry. The distillery produces 100% blue agave tequila and is the source behind several well-regarded brands, including the Excellia label.

The highlands of Jalisco, known locally as Los Altos, sit at elevations above 2,000 metres. The red clay soils and cooler temperatures of this zone tend to produce agave plants with higher sugar content, which distillers often associate with a slightly sweeter, fruitier character compared to lowland expressions. La Altena is known for traditional production methods, including the use of brick ovens for cooking agave and roller mills or tahona for extraction, depending on the expression.

The Excellia range from La Altena includes a Blanco and a Reposado. The Blanco is unaged, expressing the raw character of the cooked agave directly, while the Reposado undergoes a period of barrel maturation of between two and twelve months, which softens the spirit and adds subtle wood influence. The Excellia project has involved collaboration with cognac producers for barrel selection, lending the reposado in particular a distinctive approach to wood ageing.