Super-premium brand Patrón has pushed the boundaries of the Tequila category with its latest innovation, El Cielo, which has been distilled four times.

Bacardi-owned Patrón has brought its El Cielo, the world’s first ‘prestige’ Tequila distilled four times, to drinkers around the globe.

The world’s leading super-premium Tequila brand (IWSR 2021) launched El Cielo in April, which is described as the “ultimate innovation in silver Tequila”.

The ‘prestige Tequila’ category mostly consists of reposados and añejos, and, as such, El Cielo offers silver (blanco) drinkers a unique sipping experience, the brand said.

Bottled at 40% ABV, El Cielo was made using a ‘first-of-its-kind’ distillation process, and a balance of cooked agave that is rich in sweetness and citrus notes.

Made of 100% high-quality Blue Weber agave, water and yeast, the expression was distilled in small batches.

According to the brand, it took more than 150 tasting sessions to perfect the final flavour profile.

Patrón master distiller David Rodriguez said: “For the first time ever, we developed a prestige Tequila with a fourth distillation – a process that is extremely rare within the industry – using the smallest copper pot still at Hacienda Patrón.

“While adding another stage of distillation is commonly misconceived as a culprit for diluting flavour, that was not the case for Patrón El Cielo.

“Our goal is to achieve perfection in every drop – by using this unique, four-time distillation process, we unlocked and opened up the natural sweetness and smoothness from the agave to deliver an incredibly sweet and light-tasting, smooth Tequila.”

The “light, fresh” Tequila is recommended served over ice with a slice of orange, or in a Spritz with ginger ale and wine (see box, right, for the recipe).

The expression is packaged in a glass bottle with gold designs, inspired by the volcanic tahona stone used to produce Patrón.

It also features other elements inspired by the agave fields found in the Jalisco highlands of Mexico, which is the Tequila brand’s homeland.

Kathy Parker, global chief marketing officer at Patrón, added: “Patrón El Cielo is radiantly smooth, offering a unique experience for Tequila drinkers delivering an impressively rare, naturally sweet taste.

“By taking our iconic silver Tequila and expertly using a fourth distillation to develop an amazing prestige Tequila, a first in the category, master distiller David Rodriguez really pushed the boundaries with a distinctive process – the complexity of distilling Tequila without sacrificing flavour requires remarkable talent, and we’re immensely proud of this bold innovation his team created.”

Patrón El Cielo is available to purchase in global markets, including the US, Canada, Mexico, Spain, Greece, France, Italy, the UK, and Australia.

The brand is available in the key US states of California, Florida, New York, Texas, Illinois, Nevada, Arizona, Colorado, and Connecticut.

In the UK, El Cielo is available to buy from £185 (US$233) at The Whisky Exchange, Selfridges stores in London, Manchester, and Birmingham, and on Selfridges.com, as well as other stockists soon. It can also be found in bars in the country.

Patrón El Cielo Spritz

Ingredients:

30ml Patrón El Cielo

60ml chilled Pinot Grigio or

Provençale rosé wine

90ml ginger ale

Method: In a white-wine glass with cubed ice, build all the ingredients. Stir to combine. Garnish with a fresh orange wedge – squeeze and drop into the glass.

Patrón El Cielo over ice

Ingredients:

60ml Patrón El Cielo

Orange slice for garnish

Method: Pour Patrón El Cielo in a rocks glass with ice. Garnish with a slice of fresh orange.