🥃 Patrón
Patrón is a Mexican tequila brand made from 100% Weber blue agave at Hacienda Patrón in Atotonilco el Alto, Jalisco. Owned by Bacardi since 2018; the main expressions are 40% ABV (80 proof). XO Cafe and Citrónge are liqueurs.
Patrón is a name you see on back bars in the US and UK, so it helps to know what is actually in the bottle. It is a Mexican tequila brand produced at Hacienda Patrón in Atotonilco el Alto, Jalisco. According to the brand's website, the tequila is made from 100% Weber blue agave. Since 30 April 2018 Bacardi has been the sole owner of Patrón Spirits International AG, and the main expressions are bottled at 40% ABV.
History. The brand was launched in the late 1980s, reportedly in 1989. Bacardi bought a 30% stake in 2008 and, as the company announced, became the sole owner on 30 April 2018. According to Difford's Guide, the modern Hacienda Patrón has operated since 2006, and in 2018 its capacity was almost doubled by building a mirror copy of the existing distillery.
How it is made. The agave is baked in brick ovens, fermented in wooden vats and distilled in copper stills; in 2007, according to Difford's Guide, there were 78 copper stills, 10 tahona stones, 51 ovens and 169 wooden vats. The Roca range is made only with the tahona, a stone wheel, while Gran Patrón Platinum blends two tequilas: one made with the tahona, the other with a roller mill.
Range. Silver, Reposado, Añejo, Extra Añejo and Cristalino, as well as Gran Patrón, Patrón XO Cafe and Citrónge, which are tequila-based liqueurs.
Why this matters to you. The name "Tequila" is protected, and its zone covers 181 municipalities in five states. The "100% de agave" category means the sugars come only from blue agave. XO Cafe and Citrónge are not tequila but liqueurs. The WHO reminds us that there is no safe level of alcohol consumption.
Facts
| Year founded | late 1980s (1989); modern Hacienda Patrón since 2006 (Difford's Guide) |
|---|---|
| Legal basis | NOM-006-SCFI-2012; designation of origin "Tequila" (9 December 1974) |
| Raw material | Weber blue agave (100% according to the producer) |
| Distillation method | brick ovens, wooden vats, copper stills; tahona for selected lines |
| Cask type | oak barrels for reposado, añejo and extra añejo (barrels up to 600 L under NOM-006) |
| Alcohol (% vol.) | 35–55% ABV under NOM-006; main Patrón expressions are 40% |
How it connects to Spirits
🥃 Patrón → kind of → 🌵 Agave: tequila and mezcal → kind of → 🥃 Spirits
Links
- Previous step
- 🥃 Bacardi Limited, 🥃 Tahona
- Packed in
- 🍷 Oak barrel
- Made from
- 🥃 Tequila 100% agave (100% de agave), 🥃 Blue agave
- What it contains
- 🍷 Ethanol
- What it affects
- 🍷 Alcohol and health, 🍷 Drunk driving
- Traditions
- 🧑🤝🧑 Mexicans
- Part of
- 🌵 Tequila, 🌵 Agave: tequila and mezcal
- Related to
- 🌍 Latin America, 🥃 Los Altos de Jalisco
- Similar and different
- 🥃 Don Julio, 🥃 Don Julio, 🥃 Sauza, 🥃 Sauza, 🥃 Olmeca, 🥃 Herradura, 🥃 1800 Tequila
Frequently asked questions
What must a US label say for Patrón to be 100% agave tequila?
Look for the words 100% de agave under the Mexican NOM-006 rules; the brand's website says the tequila is made from 100% Weber blue agave.
Is Patrón XO Cafe sold as tequila in a UK shop?
No. XO Cafe and Citrónge are tequila-based liqueurs, so they sit with liqueurs on the shelf, not with tequila.
Who owns Patrón, and does the owner appear on the bottle?
Bacardi bought a 30% stake in 2008 and became the sole owner of Patrón Spirits International AG on 30 April 2018.
Why is Patrón tequila only from Jalisco and a few Mexican states?
The name Tequila is protected, and the zone covers 181 municipalities in five states. Patrón is made at Hacienda Patrón in Atotonilco el Alto, Jalisco.
What do I pour with Patrón Silver for a classic Margarita?
A clean Silver suits citrus: lime and salt for the classic Margarita, served in a rocks glass.
What to read next
- 🍷 Alcohol and health — Alcohol in any drink is harmful in large amounts, and the risks grow with the quantity.
- 🍷 Ethanol — The alcohol formed during fermentation that makes you drunk.
- 🍷 Oak barrel — A wooden vessel made of oak staves in which wine matures, picks up new aromas and slowly takes in air.
- 🥃 Tequila 100% agave (100% de agave) — Tequila made only from sugars of blue agave from the area of origin, unlike the “Tequila” category, where other sugars may make up to 49%. Look for “100% de agave” on the label.
- 🌍 Latin America — A region from Mexico to the south of South America: about 9% of the world's milk, dulce de leche and fresh cheeses, Argentine and Chilean wines, olives.
Similar
🥃 Don Julio · 🥃 Herradura · 🥃 Casamigos · 🥃 Olmeca · 🥃 Sauza · 🥃 1800 Tequila
⚠️ Spirit drinks contain alcohol and are for adults only. Alcohol harms health. Do not drink during pregnancy or before driving; check the label for ingredients and possible allergens.
What it includes
Sources
- Difford's Guide: Hacienda Patrón (NOM 1492), Atotonilco El Alto, Jalisco (2006; brick ovens, wooden fermenters, copper stills, tahona mills; capacity almost doubled in 2018)
- Patrón (brand site): 100 % Weber Blue Agave; range (Silver, Reposado, Añejo, Extra Añejo, Cristalino, Gran Patrón, XO Cafe, Citrónge)
- Bacardi Limited: Bacardi Completes Acquisition of Patrón (30.04.2018; sole owner of Patrón Spirits International AG; 30 % stake since 2008)
- NOM-006-SCFI-2012, Bebidas alcohólicas — Tequila — Especificaciones (DOF 13.12.2012, Mexico)
- Consejo Regulador del Tequila: Denominación de Origen (181 municipalities, 5 states; declaration 09.12.1974)
- WHO/Europe: No level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health (04.01.2023)