When Tequila Arette master distiller and co-founder Jaime Orendain arrived in Manila last month, it was his first time in the Philippines and one stop on a six-week journey across Asia. At a masterclass held at Spirits Library in Manila, Jaime walked a room of guests through the story of one of Mexico's most quietly defiant tequila brands. Here is what you need to know.
1. They are the last of the four founding tequila families still running independently.
The tequila industry was built by four families: the Beckmans, the Sauzas, the Romos, and the Orendains. Of those four, only the Orendains remain privately and independently owned. Jose Cuervo remains in the Beckmann family but went public in 2017. Herradura, founded by the Romo family, was sold to Brown-Forman. Sauza is now owned by Beam Suntory. The Orendains held on. "Until now, the Orendains are the only ones that are still running by themselves, by the family," Jaime said. "The only people who own Arette are my brother Eduardo and myself."
The family's history in tequila stretches back to 1900, when their great-grandfather established El Llano Distillery in the town of Tequila, Jalisco, one of the three oldest active distilleries in the town. Jaime and his brother Eduardo are the fourth generation of tequileros in the family, establishing Arette as a brand in 1986.
2. The name comes from a one-eyed, one-eared horse that won Olympic gold.
Arette means "earring" in Spanish, and that was what the horse's original owner called him after a trailer accident sliced one of his ears. The horse also suffered a cataract in one eye from the same accident. Written off by almost everyone, he was trained by General Humberto Mariles and went on to win Mexico's first Olympic gold medals in equestrian jumping at the 1948 London Games, competing against the direct orders of the Mexican president. For two young brothers who wanted to build something of their own against the odds, the story felt right. They also added a second "t" to the spelling, one for each brother.
3. They make two distinct lines, and each one exists for a specific reason.
The Classic line, recognizable by its square bottle, was built for bars and cocktails. Jaime is direct about why: "We make it because we find the people for bars, hotels, all-inclusive bars. They use the cheapest, the low quality to make cocktails to offer to the clients, and the people get there and start drinking cocktails with tequila, and the next day they feel very bad." By creating an accessible, well-made tequila at a price point that works for high-volume venues, Arette aims to raise the bar for what people are drinking in their cocktails, even if they never know it. The Classic line uses autoclave cooking and stainless steel fermentation tanks, and is available in Blanco and Reposado.
The Artesanal line is slower and more traditional, using brick and stone ovens and cement fermentation tanks, with only the heart of the distillation run used for each batch. The result is something with more concentration and depth. The Artesanal range covers the full spectrum: Blanco, Reposado, Añejo, Extra Añejo, and the Fuerte, a 101-proof expression bottled at cask strength.
4. His take on additives is more measured than you might expect.
Arette uses no additives, no glycerine, no caramel coloring, no oak extract. But when asked about brands that do, Jaime reaches for a simple analogy rather than a lecture. "If for example you want to be a vegan. You don't want to eat meat. We can eat both. I can eat meat. You can eat grass. It's okay. It’s a free life."
He also contextualizes how additives became normalized in the first place. When tequila began making serious inroads into the United States, producers needed to deliver consistency. American consumers were used to the uniformity of bourbon, which looks and tastes the same bottle to bottle. Additives were the practical solution that helped tequila compete in the world's biggest spirits market. He extends the same grace to celebrity tequilas, often the easiest target in this conversation. "Thank you, compadre. Thank you for opening the door for all the tequileros," he said, crediting them with bringing mass awareness to the category and building the roads that independent producers like Arette eventually got to travel on.
5. Everything is still labeled by hand, by the same families who have worked there for generations.
Every month, Jaime's finance team puts a proposal on the table for a new automated labeling machine. Every month, Jaime says no. Eighteen women at El Llano Distillery label every Arette bottle by hand, five labels each. Many are the daughters or granddaughters of people who have worked at the distillery for decades. "Everything I have is because I sell tequila," Jaime said.
This is part of a larger picture of a brand that has taken the long road by choice. Arette spent twenty years being built without a profit, funded by Jaime and Eduardo's personal money, before it started gaining the recognition it now holds in the additive-free and craft tequila communities. "We sell tequila in a bottle," Jaime said. "We don't sell a bottle with tequila."
For anyone who has been curious about Arette but has not yet tried it, now is a good time. The Classic Blanco is a solid entry point, and the Artesanal line is worth seeking out for a clearer picture of what the distillery is actually capable of.
Tequila Arette is available in the Philippines through High Proof PH, the local craft spirits distributor run by Simon Côté, who has been championing the brand here for the past few years. For anyone who has been curious but has not yet made the leap, this is a good time to start. The Classic Blanco is a solid entry point, and the Artesanal line is worth seeking out for a clearer picture of what the distillery is actually capable of.
Chrysmas Gawaran
Chrysmas Gawaran is a Manila-based writer covering the drinks, bars and subcultures behind the city’s nightlife. Her work focuses on the craft, the people, and the stories shaking up how and why we drink.
