(Photo: Espolòn Tequila)
Although the beginning of Día de Los Muertos is still a month out, Mexican spirits producers have already gotten to work on their annual batch of sippable celebrations. On Tuesday, Espolòn Tequila unveiled a limited-edition release infused with marigold flowers, imbibing their liquor with a splash of holiday iconography.
The expression, dubbed Flor de Oro, begins with a two-month reposado aged in new American oak casks. The liquid is then infused with natural marigold extract, imparting a gold tint alongside floral and citrus aromas. Maestro tequilero Jesús Susunaga Acosta says that the release is a tribute to his predecessor, Cirilo Oropeza, who passed away in 2020.
"When creating Flor de Oro, I was inspired by the moment that we placed an altar at Casa San Nicolás dedicated to our late founder, Master Distiller Cirilo Oropeza,"Acosta remarked in a news release. "Drawing from the marigold petals and aromas of his favorite foods, we created an infused Reposado tequila that honors Cirilo and thanks him for his years of dedication to tequila-making."
Flor de Oro is slated to roll out in the coming weeks at a suggested retail price of $43.99.
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Placed alongside calaveras (decorative skulls) and papel picado (perforated paper), marigold flowers are one of the defining symbols of Día de Los Muertos festivities.
You'll often find the orange bushels gathered around the altars of the dead. The flower's bright hue and fragrant aroma is said to guide spirits back to their loved ones; on a symbolic level, their frilled petals represent the fragility of life. Their significance can be traced to Aztec rituals associated with Mictecacihuatl, the goddess of the underworld, though others might recognize them in a different context. Spanish conquistadors discovered and co-opted the tradition in the 16th century, leading to their widespread use in the Roman Catholic church.
These days, the iconography has grown just as popular among agave spirits distillers.
Clase Azul's 2023 Day of the Dead bottling was a full-throttle, $1,450 homage to all things marigold. The decanter was decked out in deep orange hues and hand-painted flourishes — since this is Clase Azul we're talking about, it, of course, also came with a 24-karat gold ornament. Unlike Flor de Oro, however, the spirit itself was not flavored with marigolds.
That distinction goes instead to Bozal Mezcal. Last year's seasonal release from the brand was actually distilled with marigold flowers, combining flavors of citrus and mandarin peel with a classically smoky mezcal finish.
Espolòn says it's the first tequila brand to infuse the flavor into its spirits. For more information on the release, find the Espolòn website here.
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