Exquisitely aged spirits, endless generosity, and reverence for the artistic heritage of Mexico are mainstays of luxury house Clase Azul México.
The brand’s latest launch—a limited-edition, three-decanter set designed by artisans Fernando Jimón and María Elena López—is an ode to the pottery of Tonalá and the surrounding region’s rich mythology. Crafted in shades of red, white, and green, the decanters pay homage to the country’s flag: a design fitting for Jimón, who specializes in an increasingly rare pottery practice called barro bandera, or “flag-colored clay.” Together, the artisan duo are bastions of traditional Mexican artistry in the modern age.
Founded in 1997 by Arturo Lomeli, then a 23-year-old bartender in Guadalajara, the Mexican tequila brand has earned its laurels in luxury and quality. In October, the brand celebrated Dia de los Muertos in—quite literally—high spirits. To fill 10,000 decanters for the Música collection, master distiller Viridiana Tinoco concocted a unique, 26-month aged añejo tequila made through a two-batch process. First conceived in an American whiskey casks, one batch was later finished in Scotch whisky casks from the Isle of Skye, and the other in casks from the Speyside region. The result? A polished blend with hints of honey, peat smoke, nutmeg, and dried plum.
“For this edition, I wanted to reinterpret music into sensorial chords to evoke nostalgia, since during Día de Muertos we remember the great moments shared with our loved ones,” Tinoco explained. “Seeking to achieve a harmony of notes with different nuances through the casks, for one part I included smoky notes which are reminders of candles and incense of this festivity and, for the other, sweet notes suggestive of the delicacies placed on ofrendas.”
Not only are Clase Azul’s spirits the product of patience and refinement, but the bottles that house them have become guardians of culture in their own right. In Jimón and López’s Master Artisans collection, each decanter brings Mexican mythical figures to life. Ivory white nahuales with feline features and majestic eagles populate the pottery’s surface, slipping between myth and reality. Age-old legends in flora, fauna, and the celestial glaze the burnished surface.
“Partnering with Clase Azul was truly remarkable. That they have taken us into consideration will give us the opportunity to make our pieces and techniques known in different countries,” Lopez said, with Jimón concluding, “Our collaboration with Clase Azul is, in our life as artisans, one of the most important until now. It opens new horizons and will allow us to leave a mark for posterity.”
