Overview

Monica Sanita and Alex Lacroix co-founded Siempre. They grew Siempre into a thriving international brand from $9,000 and a credit card. Their risk paid off. They put it all on the line to build a brand inspired by Monica's grandmother's lifelong agricultural experience and creating agave spirits in Mexico.

If you would like to learn the full backstory of how co-founder Alex Lacroix went from felon to tequila maker, I highly recommend Jeanette Hurt’s 2022 Forbes article. In 2024, Siempre partnered with wine and spirits supplier Prestige Beverage Group to expand distribution and growth.

A Note on Tequila Matchmaker

Siempre Tequila is very proud to market that their products are verified additive-free by Tequila Matchmaker. I want to highlight who they are quickly without going too far down the rabbit hole. Please download their app or check out their website for more information. Many in the spirits industry consider Tequila Matchmaker the single source of truth in the tequila business. It is a third-party organization providing an unbiased rating system from active users and an expert panel of judges. They also conduct deep production and purchase ledger inspection and random lab analysis to provide transparency for Tequila brands, with a significant focus on legal additives.

A Note on Agave Sourcing (Los Altos vs El Valle)

I recently attended an in-depth Milagro Tequila brand training session with Luis Lopez, their West Coast brand ambassador. (Shout out, Luis, for a fantastic training. Please follow him on Instagram @chicharronesconlimon.) Luis brought up a fascinating point for English-speaking Tequila fans. William Grant & Sons, the Scottish parent company for Milagro Tequila, owns Hendrick's Gin, Glenfiddich Single Malt Scotch Whisky, and The Balvenie Single Malt Scotch Whisky. He said we borrow the English terms "highlands" and "lowlands" from Scotch to describe Los Altos and El Valle, the primary growing areas for Blue Weber agave in Jalisco. Jalisco has a lot of elevation, so calling any area the lowlands is inaccurate. Luis recommends sticking to the Spanish terms Los Altos and El Valle to sound more informed about Tequila.

He described the difference between agave sourced from Los Altos and El Valle in the following way:

The Los Altos region has high altitudes, extreme temperature swings, and a higher iron-rich soil mineral content. The agave matures slower with a higher sugar yield. The flavor of the agave from Los Altos will typically be fruitier, sweeter, lighter, and floral.

The El Valle region has harsh, dry weather and dry volcanic soil with few minerals. It's a tougher region on the agave, and the plants are less hydrated. The flavor of EL Valle agave is typically spicer, earthy, and vegetal, with aromas of herbs, grass, and minerals.

Siempre Plata

The Plata label is double distilled in copper pot stills at the Feliciano Vivanco y Asociados distillery (NOM 1414) in Arandas, Jalisco, from 100 % blue Weber agave sourced from the Los Altos region. The agave is cooked in stone and brick ovens, crushed using a roller mill, and open-air fermented using a rum and Champagne yeast strain. The brand also has a unique fermentation process called the Mozart Method, where they play classical music to the yeast during fermentation. I wonder if it is always exclusively Mozart or if they rotate composers. The water source used comes from a deep well. The final product is bottled unaged at 80 proof (40 % ABV) and verified additive-free by Tequila Matchmaker. Co-founder Monica Sanita wanted the Plata to be carefully balanced, soft enough for newcomers, yet complex enough for enthusiasts. The manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP) for the Plata is $49.99, but I have found it in my home market between $37 and $39.

Recommended Glassware - Riedel Drink Specific Double Rocks

Siempre Reposado

The Reposado label is double distilled in copper pot stills at the Feliciano Vivanco y Asociados distillery (NOM 1414) in Arandas, Jalisco, from 100 % blue Weber agave sourced from a single estate in the Los Altos region. Sourcing the agave from a smaller and more defined location, or a single estate, is the first sign of increased quality for this product compared to the Plata. The agave is cooked in stone and brick ovens, crushed using a roller mill, and open-air fermented using a rum and Champagne yeast strain. The water source used comes from a deep well. Next, the tequila is aged 2 to 6 months in American white oak vats with a deep hand-fired char called pipónes. The final product is bottled at 80 proof (40 % ABV) and verified additive-free by Tequila Matchmaker. The manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP) for the Reposado is $54.99, but I have found it in my home market between $42 and $44.

Recommended Glassware - Riedel Drink Specific Double Rocks

Siempre Añejo

The Añejo label is a perfect bridge product for whiskey lovers. It is double distilled in stainless steel with copper parts at the Casa Maestri, Destiladora del Valle de Tequila (NOM 1438) in the town of Tequila, Jalisco, from 100 % blue Weber agave sourced from 50 % Los Altos and 50 % El Valle. The agave is cooked in stone and brick ovens, crushed using a roller mill, and open-air fermented using an agave yeast strain. The water source used comes from a volcanic spring. Next, the tequila is aged up to 36 months in American oak bourbon barrels. The final product is bottled at 80 proof (40 % ABV) and verified additive-free by Tequila Matchmaker. The manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP) for the Añejo is $60, but I have found it in my home market between $52 and $54.

The Añejo is the first product from Siempre, where you can see some significant differences compared to the Plata and Reposado. The Añejo is distilled at a different distillery with a slightly different still. It uses a different yeast strain without classical music, water, and agave sources.

Recommended Glassware - Glencairn Whisky Glass

Siempre Supremo

Siempre Supremo is a complex old-world, high-proof, wild-fermented blanco tequila made from 100% tahona-crushed Supremo agave, known for its high price and superior sugar content. It is double distilled in stainless steel with copper parts at La Cofradia distillery (NOM 1137) in Tequila, Jalisco, from 100 % "supremo" blue Weber agave sourced from the Los Altos region. More on Supremo Agave later. The agave is cooked in stone and brick ovens, 100 % Tahona-crushed, and open-air wild fermented with the agave fibers. The water source used comes from a volcanic spring. The final product is bottled unaged at still-proof between 90-110 (45-55 % ABV) and is verified additive-free by Tequila Matchmaker. The manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP) for the Supremo is $70, but I have found it in my home market between $78 and $81.

I wanted more clarification on what they meant by "supremo" agave, so I contacted an employee of the brand. They said, "Supremo means the agave was harvested at their peak maturity, anywhere from 6 to even sometimes 12 years. Hand-picked from every harvest, significantly larger and higher in brix content. Every time the agave is harvested, we receive a GUIA, which shows which location they were harvested from and the agave maturity. These factors determine whether or not we classify the agave as "Supremo."

Recommended Glassware - Riedel Tequila Tasting Glass

Siempre Rebel Cask

The Rebel Cask Reposado began as a single-barrel program. Still, it evolved into a limited series with various releases aged entirely (not just finished) in bespoke oak barrels from around the world. The name refers to a rebellious twist on tradition because each micro-batch is unique. It is double distilled in stainless steel with copper parts at La Cofradia distillery (NOM 1137) in Tequila, Jalisco, from 100 % supremo blue Weber agave sourced from the Los Altos region. The agave is cooked in stone and brick ovens, crushed using a Tahona and screw mill, and open-air fermented with agave fibers using a Champagne yeast strain. The water source used comes from a volcanic spring. The aging for the Rebel Cask Reposado will vary per barrel based on the series but could be between 2 and 24 months. The final product is bottled at 84 proof (42 % ABV) and is verified additive-free by Tequila Matchmaker. The manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP) for the Rebel Cask is $80, but I have found it in my home market between $68 and $70.

Recommended Glassware - Glencairn Whisky Glass

Siempre Exclusivo Vivo

The Vivo is an ultra-limited yearly expression that draws production inspiration from Mezcal and Peruvian pisco. It is slowly double distilled in copper pot stills with the live yeast at the Feliciano Vivanco y Asociados distillery (NOM 1414) in Arandas, Jalisco, from 100 % blue Weber agave sourced from El Chivo in Arandas. The agave is cooked in stone and brick ovens, crushed using low-pressure roller mills, and open-air wild fermented with classical music. Usually, when fermentation is complete and there is no more sugar to convent into alcohol, the active or live yeast will die off before distillation. What sets Vivo apart is that they distill using live yeast, so they do not let the fermentation end before distilling. The water source used is deep well water. The final product is bottled unaged and uncut without any water dilution at 95 proof (47.5 % ABV) and is verified additive-free by Tequila Matchmaker. The manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP) for the Exlusivo Vivo is $120, but I have found it in my home market between $103 and $107.

Recommended Glassware - Riedel Tequila Tasting Glass

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