Our History
Our family’s tequila legacy began over 50 years ago when our great grandfather, Don Félix Bañuelos and our father León partnered with family friends to start a distillery. Their brand, Tequila CAZADORES®, was an incredible success, and became the #1 selling tequila made with 100% agave.
Our family eventually sold Tequila CAZADORES®, and a few years after that, we decided to launch a new brand, Tequila El Mexicano. Crafted by our current generation of Bañuelos brothers León Jr. and Willy, in collaboration with our father, Tequila El Mexicano is pure, authentic Mexican tequila made for the people.
Our Identity
El Mexicano is a Mexican company, 100% owned and operated by our family. We make tequila where the only thing added is time and three generations of tequila expertise. El Mexicano is made completely by Mexican hands, and boldly celebrates our roots with its history, terroir, and culture. We never rush the process, because, as our family tradition teaches us, quality comes with time.
On every bottle you will see the designation NOM 1588. This is our Norma Official Mexicana, which indicates the legitimacy and quality of our distillery in Arandas, Mexico. Our NOM is renowned for producing exceptional, highly rated tequilas.
Willy, Teresa, Max, León Sr., Tesy and León Jr.
Our Home
With this new venture came a new distillery, and we are proud to say that Hacienda El Mexicano is one of the most breathtaking distilleries in all of Mexico. Our terracotta-colored walls, which were made by mixing paint with red clay soil, and our modern but classic architecture makes our estate a celebration of our community and culture.
We selected our location to be in the heart of the highlands of Jalisco, and we chose every element with care. Instead of doors we have large, open archways, so that we are a welcoming place for all. Our production is also done in the open so that everyone who visits can see the care our family puts into our tequila. While Hacienda El Mexicano is a popular destination, it is also our family home.