We recently had the pleasure of being hosted by Casa Azul — winner of award-winning organic tequila — and their partners at the new La Roca distillery, the Montes family. This evening dinner took place at Wally’s Santa Monica, for an evening of education, tequila tastings, and blissful indulgence. And this evening is one that will be long-remembered. For some, it may be an easy guess that our selection of dishes for the evening went above and beyond, from pizzas to sea bass. But in the grand scheme of it all, the food was a complement to everything else that the Casa Azul team had in store for us.

An introduction to Casa Azul’s Jorge Llauro, followed by Alvaro Montes, the founder of the organic tequila’s new production home, La Roca, started the evening off right.

Cutting No Corners, A Lifestyle Investment

After a half hour or so of mingling and making introductions, the presentation began, taking us on the journey of what it means to be in the profession of tequila making. The Montes and Casa Azul family showed us that this delicate industry is not only subject to subpar tequila from those who cut corners for a quick buck, but it is a path that demands much more than most are willing to give. Behind their 3 generations of hard work, the Montes’ have passed on the knowledge that their careers require they be multifaceted, working as farmers, distillers, businessmen, and more.

During our talks with Abraham Montes, the youngest in the bloodline to jump aboard, he spoke with a fiery passion about the love his grandfather and father poured into their family business. Agave plants are a generational investment, extremely sensitive to even the finest of climate and weather, topography, water availability, and subjected to Casa Azul’s own bold standard of chemical and pesticide-free growth. Taking about 8 years to mature, on average, we began to understand the cycle from plotting the land used to pouring a glass, and why it was so important to Casa Azul with their uniquely important Orgánico label.

While time and patience are some of the biggest investments, it takes honesty, dedication, and grit to maintain strength through the challenges that tequila production can bring. Where others tap into artificial means to produce as quickly as possible, the Montes family has accepted that even in the face of devastating product loss, doing things the right way is what is most important. And meeting the strenuous requirements to become USDA Certified are equally important. But why?

If You’re Going to Drink, Drink The Best

Along with all the other reasons why you’d want to appreciate tequila that has been given all the time it needs to fully mature, roast, and distill, the purity of that agave should be at the top of your list. When it comes to all of the options on the market, Casa Azul has the purest and cleanest tequila available. Completely free of pesticides, the brand and Montes family believes that if you’re going to enjoy tequila, you must enjoy it the right way. And that means without harmful human intervention.

As shown by the striking shades of blue that the brand is known for, they really want to drive it home that not only will you find Orgánico with Casa Azul, but you can also find trust.

Casa Azul produces Anejo, Reposado, and Blanco tequilas that provide clarity and smoothness for unimpaired, rich agave flavors. The purity of this lineup opens the doorway to full flavor profiles, and fewer headaches after experiencing them. Blanco, rested 2 to 3 months in stainless steel barrels before bottling, makes for a hair-raising experience, providing a notes of citrus and pepper at 40.0% ABV.  Meanwhile, Reposado falls in the middle, offering the sweetest notes of caramel and vanilla at 40.0% ABV, and aged 4-6 months in American Oak bourbon casks. Finally, Anejo ages the longest at 15+ months in American Oak bourbon casks. Also clocking in at 40.0% ABV, this golden tequila provides hints of black pepper and vanilla — almost like the best of both Blanco and Reposado.

Through these differences, purity ensures that these flavor profiles remain untainted, which is why Orgánico is the best way to go.

Transitioning to La Roca

Recently, the award-winning Organic Tequila brand, announced its move to a new production home: La Roca (NOM 1646), a state-of-the-art distillery in the heart of Jalisco’s most fertile agave-growing region. The transition to La Roca marks a major milestone in Casa Azul’s ongoing commitment to craftsmanship, sustainability, and innovation. 

Previously crafted at Las Américas (NOM 1480), another Montes family distillery, Casa Azul is upgrading production within the family and will now be produced exclusively at La Roca. The new partnership allows Casa Azul to bring even greater intention and precision to its tequila-making process, enhancing quality and consistency from agave harvest to bottling. 

La Roca reflects a thoughtful evolution in Casa Azul’s production approach – honoring traditional, time-honored methods while embracing modern techniques and integrating sustainability-focused upgrades. Traditional ovens remain central to the agaveroasting process, but are now enhanced with stainless steel bases to improve heat efficiency and precision. The water used in production is sourced from a deep volcanic spring 250 meters beneath Amatitán Mountain, naturally filtered through volcanic rock to enhance the spirit’s pure, agave-forward flavor.

Casa Azul Orgánico Tequila can be purchased directly at their website, or found at retailers nationwide.

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About Casa Azul Orgánico Tequila

Casa Azul Orgánico Tequila is committed to crafting tequila the right way—never the easy way. Produced by a multi-generational family of distillers and agave farmers, Casa Azul is 100% USDA Certified Organic and made using time-honored traditions that honor the land and the agave. Each agave plant is grown on a single estate near the distillery, thriving in the mineral-rich, volcanic soil (“Tierra Negra”) of the Lowlands. Every plant is hand-tended until fully mature, ensuring the purest possible expression of flavor.