Tahona Extracted Tequila

The tahona is a 2-ton volcanic wheel that is rolled over cooked agave in a circular pit, squeezing the juice from the fibres. Today most distilleries will use the more efficient roller mill adapted from sugar cane production. However, some distilleries have re-introduced the tahona for part or all of their production. Both these methods reveal different flavour profiles. Tequila made with a tahona has rich, sweet notes, and is velvety, with strong agave, caramel and earthy tones, while roller-milled tequila is bright, fresh, citric, spicy and smooth. Felipe Camarena (G4/Terralta) has constructed a metal tahona from a steam roller - it provides the same flavour profile as the traditional volcanic rock tahona but is much more efficient and is reflected in his prices!