Savor a truly inspired tequila that leverages traditional distilling practices to satisfy modern palates: Calirosa! Our jimadores are continually pushing the limits by selecting the best agave to meet our high quality standards.
Our tequila añejo undergoes an extensive aging process in order to transform it into a smokey, earthy, and vibrant distilled beverage. Add Calirosa tequila to accentuate classic cocktails, like the Margarita or Paloma. Or, modulate your taste buds by sipping tequila anejo served neat or on the rocks.
The Story Behind Calirosa Tequila
Since 1942, the Real family from Amatitan, Jalisco, has produced the traditional Mexican spirit known globally as tequila. To this day, Don Roberto and Don Fernando Real run their distillery in Amatitan to produce the unique Calirosa Tequila. The Real family crafted the first Mexican-Californian tequila by aging it in red wine barrels.
The third-generation tequila-maker, Luis Trejo Rodriguez, took on the role of the master distiller 15 years ago to produce top-quality tequila for Calirosa. Victoria’s Secret model Behati Prinsloo and her husband, Maroon 5 frontman Adam Levine, recently invested in the family-run business to share Calirosa with the world.
The premium products available from Calirosa include:
- Tequila Rosa Blanco
- Tequila Anejo
- Tequila Extra Anejo (coming soon)
Thanks to the added publicity provided by celebrities and influencers, we invite you to take pleasure in experiencing this vibrant style of tequila. You can now find Calirosa’s Tequila Rosa Blanco and Tequila Anejo in 14 states across the USA.
Luis Trejo Rodriguez and the whole Real family, along with their partners Behati Prinsloo and Adam Levine, separate themselves from other tequila-makers by bringing together the culture and tradition of Mexico and the California style to create Calirosa Tequila.
Where is Calirosa Made?
Calirosa adheres to the primary tequila law promulgated by the Mexican government in 1978, which states that companies cannot produce tequila in any other country and must only use the blue weber agave plant found in five designated regions in Mexico.
All of Calirosa’s tequilas come from 100% blue weber agave harvested in the highlands and valley of Amatitan, Jalisco, Mexico. As the home for the world’s largest distilleries, Amatitan enjoys significant fame for its rich, volcanic soil, which proves ideal for agave farming.
Calirosa’s Tequila Rosa Blanco, Tequila Anejo, and Tequila Extra Anejo all come from blue weber agaves that have basked in the sunlight of Mexico. Once distilled, the tequila then ages in red wine barrels sourced from California. The fusion of elements from both lands brings about the unique flavors of Calirosa Tequila.
What is Special about Anejo Tequila?
‘Tequila anejo’ means aged or vintage tequila. Tequila anejo usually undergoes an aging process of one to three years to develop a smooth and mature flavor. The reddish, amber-colored tequila blends the essences of caramel, vanilla, coffee, and butterscotch with slight hints of figs and other dried fruit.
Our añejo tequila goes through an 18-month aging process in Californian red wine casks. Tequila enthusiasts relish our rosy-colored tequila and its aftertastes of oak spice, toffee, and cinnamon.
Extra Anejo, known as the most aged and expensive tequila, is best enjoyed neat. With an aging process that lasts over three years, the tequila’s oaky undertones intensify and the flavors of vanilla and caramel become richer.
Extra Anejo gives off a sweet aroma and leaves a lingering, velvety, warm taste of cacao, coffee, and raisins on your palate.
The Production Process
To achieve the distinctive color and taste of Calirosa Tequila, our dedicated employees constantly strive for perfection. The Real family maintains the tradition of the Mexican spirit while giving it an exquisitely smooth finish and rosy glow.
We do not rush our production process because we believe in delivering only the highest-quality tequila.
Blue Weber Agave
At the peak of maturation, we select 100% blue weber agave that grows in the volcanic soil of the highlands and valley areas of Amatitan, Jalisco. It takes seven to nine years for the natural sugar content of the plant to reach the required level.
The crucial selection of blue agave produces a deliciously complex flavor compared to cheap, bitter tequila made from immature plants. While the industry standard for sugar content lies somewhere between 22 and 24%, we produce the best quality tequila using only blue weber agaves with more than 26% sugar. We also distill Calirosa Tequila in small batches to maintain excellent, consistent quality.
Stage 1: Cooking
We believe in cooking our agave in brick ovens - the old-fashioned way. As opposed to the industrialized method that shortens the cooking period by using steel ovens or diffuser technologies.
However, these hurried practices tend to create a product lacking the deep flavors and aroma that makes Calirosa Tequila popular with tequila-lovers.
Our slow production process takes 30-40 hours for cooking and several hours for the ovens to cool down and reset. The traditional process brings out citrus and herbal notes that would otherwise remain absent.
Stage 2: Fermentation
The Real family stays committed to the old ways - the respect for the land and the jimadors. We use natural yeast created on-site in our distillery. After the roasted agave goes through the milling process, fermentation takes 36-50 hours, giving the tequila time to develop complexity.
Stage 3: Distillation
The distillation process takes place twice in copper pot stills. Copper imparts the flavor of centuries past when distilling a delicious spirit. We use up to nine kilograms of agave per liter of tequila, compared to the industry average of 7-8 kilograms per liter.
The purified, distilled water we use while making Calirosa Tequila comes from the wells surrounding the agave distillery. Our traditional approach, true to the art of distillation, results in higher operating costs, but the originality and complexity of Calirosa Tequila make it more than worth it.
As our master distiller, Luis Trejo Rodriguez takes pride in preserving the traditional techniques for tequila distillation, whatever the cost.
Aging
Calirosa Tequila undergoes an aging process in red wine barrels, which come from esteemed wine regions in California. The creation of Tequila Rosa Blanco involves an aging process of 30 days. Tequila Anejo and Tequila Extra Anejo require aging processes of 18 months and 36 months, respectively.
Types of Tequilas and Their Differences
The aging process determines the main differences between Tequila Blanco, Tequila Reposado, and Tequila Anejo. The color and the taste depend on the months or years taken to mature in barrels.
The three main ingredients to make Calirosa Tequila are:
- 100% blue weber agave
- Water
- Natural yeast
Tequila Blanco vs. Calirosa Tequila Rosa Blanco
Blanco means ‘white,’ signifying the purest form of tequila. Tequila blanco, also known as silver tequila, undergoes a short aging process of up to two months. Silver tequila most likely never rests in an oak barrel. The flavors can be vegetative and spicy, with notes of citrus and pepper. This light, barely aged distilled beverage works best in a Margarita.
Calirosa’s Tequila Rosa Blanco ages for 30 days in a red wine cask. The pink hue and pleasant aroma of sweet agave, strawberry, raspberry, and honey create a unique tasting experience.
The Rosa Blanco leaves a creamy, soft texture lingering on your palate. The California style of maturation, in collaboration with the traditional process of aging tequila blanco, gives it the name Tequila Rosa Blanco.
Reposado Tequila vs. Añejo Tequila
Reposado means ‘rest’ in Spanish and refers to the aging process. After cooking, fermentation, and distillation, tequila reposado begins the aging process in American or French oak barrels. After at least two months, but not more than 365 days, the tequila becomes ready to serve. Compared to tequila blanco, tequila reposado gives off richer flavors of honey, chilies, and vanilla.
Tequila añejo and tequila extra añejo possess a darker hue than tequila reposado and present a stronger, smoother, and more refined taste, making it an ideal sipping drink. The aging process for tequila anejo takes between twelve months and three years, while tequila extra anejo sits in oak barrels for at least three years to develop deep color and a robust, complex tequila taste.
Calirosa’s Tequila Añejo and Tequila Extra Añejo undergo slightly different aging processes. The distinctive aging process that takes place in California-sourced red wine barrels gives the Tequila Anejo a reddish, amber color.
The Tequila Extra Añejo gives off a golden mahogany color with a reddish secondary hue. They both leave a medium to long finish, almost like a fine whiskey, bourbon, or cognac.
In fact, Calirosa’s Tequila Anejo and Tequila Extra Anejo make a great substitute for a glass of whiskey.
Calirosa Tequila Near Me
There’s no need to search anywhere else for a luxurious tequila experience. From Calirosa’s Tequila Rosa Blanco to the perfectly-aged Tequila Anejo and the high end Tequila Extra Anejo, our high-quality products remain available at several liquor stores near your home or office.
Alternatively, you can have our premium tequilas delivered when you place an order online. Finally, you can sign up for our newsletter to receive the latest updates and offers on all our Calirosa products.
