OUR CRAFTSMANSHIP
A PROCESS INFORMED BY HUNDREDS OF YEARS OF CRAFTSMANSHIP
WE DON'T CHEAT
Every bottle of El Bandido Yankee tequila starts its epic journey from the sun and soil of Los Altos in Jalisco, known for nurturing the most flavorful blue weber agave in the world. Made the right way. Uncompromisingly.
20,000 YEARS IN THE MAKING
volcanic soil
Thousands of years ago, a volcanic eruption resulted in the mineral-rich soil of Jalisco’s Highlands. This rare combo of climate, altitude and soil grows the very best agave.
ROOTED IN AUTHENTICITY
AGAVE HARVESTING
Skilled jimadores, versed in all the nuances of harvesting, select perfectly ripened, fully mature blue weber agave. Cut by hand after about 8 years, some of these beauties reach 7 feet tall.
WHAT'S THE RUSH
SLOW ROASTED
Behind those succulent leaves, lies the heart of something special, an agave piña. Piñas are hand chopped and slow roasted for 40 hours in traditional stone hornos to caramelize flavors.
PURE ART, ALL HEART
milling
The art of tequila making continues. The cooked agave is shredded so yeast can reach the rich sugars buried deep within the heart of the plant.
THE MAGIC UNFOLDS
FERMENTATION
The resulting agua miel, or sugar water, is mixed with a special yeast strain. The natural agave sugars convert to alcohol form.
STILL NOT CUTTING CORNERS
DISTILLATION
Carefully guided by our master distiller, our tequila is twice distilled in small batches in copper pots. Distillation is done slowly at low temperatures to retain the agave flavors.
ELEVATING DELICIOUSNESS
OXYGENATION
The tequila is next oxygenated to break up bigger alcohol molecules, which results in our velvety, balanced texture with no burn.
TIME TO STEAL A SIP
AGING & BOTTLING
Our blanco expression is now bottled by hand. To create our Reposado, the tequila is aged in American Oak bourbon barrels that have been stripped and recharred to enhance flavors. From field to first sip, dozens of hands and hearts go into crafting every bottle.
JOURNEY TO JALISCO
EL VIEJITO DISTILLERY
Our handcrafted tequila is produced at a historic distillery tucked into the quaint town of Atotonilco El Alto, Jalisco, a region renowned as the birthplace of tequila. Founded in 1937 by Don Indalecio Nuñez Muro, El Viejito is committed to preserving its traditions and is known for their commitment to social and environmental responsibility.
MEET OUR MASTER DISTILLER
KARINA ROJO
Carrying on centuries-old traditions of handcrafting tequila, our talented distiller is blazing her own trail in guiding every aspect of distillation to produce El Bandido Yankee’s distinctively smooth finish. We join El Viejito in cultivating and celebrating women working in the highest echelons of tequila making. Today, more than 50% of El Viejito’s employees are women.