Roca Patrón is positioned at a premium to Patrón’s best-selling range, with the Silver variant priced at $69.99, the Reposado at $79.99 and the Añejo at $89.99.
The line arrives in the US this summer and is likely to eventually roll out to Patrón’s top international markets, such as Canada, the UK, Australia and Hong Kong.
Roca Patrón is the company’s first line of tequilas produced entirely from the labour-intensive, centuries-old tahona process, which is rarely practised in the tequila-producing region today.
The company’s core line is a blend of tahona-produced and the more modern roller mill-produced tequila, while the company also recently introduced a single tahona-only expression, the extra añejo, Gran Patrón Piedra.
According to Patrón Spirits, the two-tonne stone (rock/roca) tahona wheel “slowly crushes the cooked agave to break the bonds of fiber and release the rich agave juice”. The juice and agave fiber are placed in wooden fermentation vats for 72 hours and then distilled in small copper pot stills.
The new line is bottled at a higher abv than standard Patrón, with Roca Patrón Silver taken to 45% abv. Roca Patrón Reposado is 42% abv and Roca Patrón Añejo is at 44% abv.
Francisco Alcaraz, Patrón’s master distiller, said: “What truly sets this process apart from other more automated methods of producing tequila is that in the tahona process, we introduce the agave fibre – not just the agave juice – into fermentation and distillation.
“Patrón is one of only a small number of distilleries in Mexico that still uses this traditional tahona process. It’s very time consuming and expensive to create tequila in this way, but it’s well worth the effort, as the tahona method creates an incredible and distinctively complex tequila, characterised by its earthy and vegetal aromas and flavour.”
Ed Brown, president and CEO of Patrón Spirits, said: “Because the tahona process has always been an integral part of our recipe, we now have the proud opportunity to introduce a tahona-only artisanal tequila.
“Consumers’ appreciation for fine tequila has quickly grown and evolved, and Roca Patrón represents our continued commitment to producing top-quality, highly crafted and innovative spirits that people around the world are seeking.”
