Last summer, Volcán de mi Tierra tequila laid roots in San Diego by introducing its brand and commissioning a painting by muralist Panca on the side of La Doña Mexican restaurant on Niagara Avenue in Ocean Beach.

This year Volcán is taking things to the next level, having released a new brand, Smoke, available exclusively in San Diego.

Volcán Blanco Smoke is inspired by the volcanic eruption that led lava and ash to create and nourish the soil surrounding the tequila distillery where it’s made near Tequila, Jalisco in Mexico.

This limited edition and unique tequila innovation unearth the fire and spirit from the heart of that volcano, using only 100% blue agave from the highlands. It’s a taste sensation with the new blend infusing the subtle notes of peat and smoke into cooked agave through crafted finishing in rare casks.

Volcán’s local ambassador, Juan Carlos Ruiz, a first-generation American who is a sommelier and is also from the Jalisco region, discussed all things Volcán.

“Five different Mexican states grow the tequila agave plant but the most well-known and sought-after part of the region is in the Jalisco highlands and lowlands,” said Ruiz. “It is a dormant volcano that is flat on the top and a national landmark of the region. Eruptions over hundreds of thousands of years have created the perfect soil for blue weber agave, the only type of agave you can use and call it tequila.’

Ruiz said there are 35 distilleries in Mexico for making tequila but added Volcán stands out among them. “What makes us unique is our distillery is at the base of that volcano,” he said. “It has to be 51% blue weber agave to be considered a premium brand of tequila. Some brands are only 10% blue agave. Our distillery tasting area only makes one brand, Volcán. Only about 1% of distilleries make only on-brand with one NOM (tequila bottle code).”

On the back of every bottle of tequila is a NOM, a four-digit number representing the distillery where it was produced. Using these numbers can help determine the legitimacy and caliber of the tequila. Searching a NOM at online sites like Tequila Matchmaker will reveal where the tequila was made, and also which other tequila brands were made at that distillery.

“Our tequila brand launched in San Diego in 2017 with our core range of blancos (white tequilas) and this is our first special edition which is aged 10 days in Scotch whiskey barrels from the isle of Islay,” noted Ruiz, who pointed out very few tequila ambassadors, like himself, focus exclusively on only one tequila brand. That, he said, is because Volcán is such a unique tequila blend.

“Volcán Smoke is 100% highland agave,” Ruiz said adding, “The highland agaves are very fruity and floral because of our distinctive volcanic soil, which is more clay, sandier. We’re one of the only brands that blend different types of agave and do it with no additives. We’re also crushing the agaves with a giant volcanic wheel, which is not done in a lot of distilleries.”

Of their positioning in the San Diego market, Ruiz said: “We’re getting in on the ground floor of something that’s really special, Volcán Smoke, that is a really cool initiative. It’s fun to be a part of something like this.”

Volcán Smoke is available at La Doña in OB, Salvatores, The Grand del Mar by Fairmont, Death by Tequila, and Understory. Local retailers carrying it include Old Town Tequila, Top Shelf Liquor, Keg and Bottle, Harbor Market, and Major Market.

Modern tequila production dates back to the 1600s in Mexico, though its origins go back further to around the year 250. Today, tequila is an integral part of Mexico’s economy and cultural pride.

HOW TEQUILA IS MADE

Harvest the agave. Modern tequila production begins with the traditional method of harvesting the blue agave plant, which is succulent with large leaves that end in spiny tips.

Bake the agave core, or the piña. The piña bulb must be baked in order to extract its fermentable sugars. Traditionally, piñas were baked in pits lined with rocks, but today, they’re baked in either clay and brick ovens called hornos.

Shred the piña and extract the agave juice. After the piñas are baked, they are crushed and shredded to extract the sweet juice inside, which is called mosto. Mosto is extracted by using an industrial mechanical shredder or by the traditional method of using a tahona, a large stone wheel that crushes and juices the piña.

Ferment the agave juice, or mosto. Next, the mosto must ferment into ethyl alcohol in order to become a spirit. The mosto is combined with yeast and water in large fermentation tanks.

Distill the fermented mosto. The agave juices are then distilled, which purifies the liquid and concentrates the alcohol in the mixture. Tequila is typically distilled twice. The second distillation produces the clear silver tequila, which is then ready to be aged and bottled.

Age the tequila. All tequila is aged for at least 14 to 21 days. Silver or blanco tequila is aged for the minimum time. Aged tequila comes in three types: reposado (“rested,” aged for two months to one year), añejo (“aged,” aged for one to three years), and extra añejo (aged for over three years). To produce a more aged tequila, the distilled blanco is put into aged oak barrels, which gives the tequila a golden color.