Architecture, sacred art and goldsmithing merge into three artisan jewels for tequila

This December, the Clase Azul México tequila house launched a triduo of artisan decanters, the creation of maestro Jesús Guerrero Santos, with the best version of his tequilas, which one craves at the table or at the bar during the Christmas and end of the year.

In 2021, Clase Azul presented for the first time the Master Artisans collection, created to celebrate the artisans of Mexico who, through their creativity and effort, shape this cultural legacy of our country with their hands.

Crafts in Mexico are the materialized identity of the people; their culture, traditions, stories and vision of life represented through precious handmade objects. The craft is a living legacy; Their techniques are transmitted from generation to generation and the hands that create these objects imprint on them the personal experiences of each craftsman.

The Master Artisans collection brings together the work of the most outstanding master craftsmen in the country, those who, by making use of their talent and vision, tell the most beautiful stories of Mexico with their hands.

Continuing with this search to captivate the world with the most exceptional creations, this year Clase Azul makes available to the public three jewels by master craftsman Jesús Guerrero Santos, an exponent of high Mexican craftsmanship with thirty years of experience.

The characteristic style of Guerrero Santos is born from diverse influences such as architectural study, sacred art and the convergence of different cultures expressed in the Baroque style, but above all from a deep desire to manifest the spirit of the Mexican tradition in his work.

The aesthetic vision of the master, in which no piece is the same as another, takes up elements of majolica ceramic, an ancient and laborious firing and glazing technique that results in creations with a unique soul. Given its inherent complexity, this method reflects the Master’s affinity for the beauty of the creative process and appreciation of art as his own end.

What inspired me? In manifestations of Mexican culture, in our customs, in the taste for what is ours and in the desire to put it as high as possible. That is why I fully identify with Clase Azul México. Each brushstroke that he gives and each drawing that he makes has the mission of transmitting our Mexicanness at the highest levels,” says the teacher.

his creations

Master Jesús Guerrero Santos collaborated with Clase Azul México in this second installment of the Master Artisans collection to create a set of three decanters —Cobalto, Canela and Garnalda— that masterfully synthesize his thirty years of pottery experience.

These sister pieces —which through their expressive images and cultural symbolism speak of the passions and memories of Guerrero Santos—, are also proof of a mastery of ceramics and goldsmithing that can only result from decades of research and experimentation, the result of which is a poem in which each piece is a verse.

When designing the decanters for this limited edition, Jesús Guerrero Santos conceptualized ceramics as the “skin” of tequila. Thus, each piece not only covers and protects its content, but also arouses a distinctive tactile sensation and serves as a visual representation of the diverse artisan legacy that it embodies.

The decoration of this limited edition incorporates nickel silver, a shiny metal that has been applied to the surface of the decanters to accentuate their iconic silhouettes.

Each piece reveals how the artisan’s influences blend to evoke the cultural diversity of his country; an eclectic legacy of customs, traditions and styles that together capture the essence of what is Mexican.

the decanters

1. Cobalt

Decanter

The first decanter of this limited edition features shades of blue and white applied using a paint thinning method that creates depth and contrast. The base of this piece rests on a nickel silver plate and is illustrated with a geometric pattern that plays with the illusion of perspective. At the center of the decanter is the Mexico Blue Class emblem surrounded by a cobalt blue frame.

Tequila

This extra aged tequila is the result of more than eight years of maturation, first in American whiskey barrels and later in oloroso sherry barrels. The epic symphony of nuances culminates with a finish in barrels of generous wine from the island of Madeira.

Color: Amber with coppery nuances
Body: Big body
Aroma: Walnut, orange peel, toasted oak, honey, black fruits
Palate: Walnut, orange peel, black fruits
Finish: Long finish of toasted oak and raisin

2. Cinnamon

Decanter

The second piece of the collection boasts two representative colors of Jalisco pottery: brown and black. A laurel wreath in the center of the decanter frames the Clase Azul México emblem, while two delicate alpaca handles adorn the neck and redefine its iconic silhouette. Lastly, a band with floral details surrounds the base of the decanter arranged on a plate of nickel silver.

Tequila

This extra aged tequila is the result of more than eight years of maturation, first in American whiskey barrels and later in Amontillado sherry barrels. The epic symphony of nuances culminates with a finish in barrels of generous wine from the island of Madeira.

Color: Amber with coppery nuances
Body: Big body
Aroma: Hazelnut, crystallized orange, caramelized walnut, clove, apricot compote, toasted robe
Palate: Toasted oak, cloves, cinnamon, caramelized apricot
Finish: Long finish of crystallized orange peel, cloves and toasted oak

3. Garland

Decanter

Made in white and cobalt blue, in the decoration of the third decanter stands out a floral garland achieved through a dilution technique that imitates the finish of watercolor painting. A fine reticulated pattern painted with different concentrations of bluish pigments accentuates the neck of the decanter, while a nickel silver choker adorns the space between the base and the ceramic body. At the center is the Mexico Blue Class emblem highlighted by a cobalt blue frame.

Tequila

This extra aged tequila is the result of more than eight years of maturation, first in American whiskey barrels and later in Pedro Ximénez sherry barrels. The epic symphony of nuances culminates with a finish in barrels of generous wine from the island of Madeira.

Color: Amber with coppery nuances
Body: Big body
Aroma: Date, crystallized fig, grape, clove, almond
Palate: Crystallized fig, toasted almond, clove
Finish: Long finish to crystallized fig and toasted oak

Aged and generous ensembles

The three blends created by the master distiller Viridiana Tinoco for each decanter of these limited editions were born from the same transformation: her extra aged tequila is the result of a maturation of more than eight years, first in American whiskey barrels and later in barrels. of one of three types of sherry (amontillado, oloroso or pedro ximénez). This epic symphony of nuances culminates with a finish in barrels of generous wine from the island of Madeira.