Hacienda Sahuayo Anejo Cristalino Tequila
Hacienda Sahuayo Anejo Cristalino Tequila is an 18-month añejo in a 750mL bottle — aged in ex-whiskey American oak barrels and then charcoal-filtered to crystal clarity, from one of the rare tequila distilleries in Michoacán rather than Jalisco, available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.
- ABV: 40% (80 proof) per the importer's official ficha — bottle read pending; other sources list 35–39%
- Size: 750mL
- Aging: 18 months in ex-whiskey American oak, then activated-carbon filtered (cristalino = filtration designation, not an age class)
- Origin: Sahuayo, Michoacán, Mexico — NOM 1511, Compañía Tequilera Hacienda Sahuayo
- Production: 100% agave, autoclave cooking, roller mill, stainless steel pot stills, 2× distilled
- Importer: Mara Imports, Riverside CA (US)
An Añejo From Michoacán, Filtered Crystal Clear
Almost all tequila comes from Jalisco — Hacienda Sahuayo is one of the handful of licensed distilleries in Michoacán, which alone makes this bottle a curiosity. The liquid spends 18 months in ex-whiskey American oak (a full añejo aging), then goes through activated-carbon filtration that strips the color while keeping the aged-tequila softness — the cristalino style that drinks like an añejo but pours like a blanco. The family distillery in Sahuayo also makes a 15-month regular añejo; the cristalino is its polished, crystal-clear sibling. Shop our tequila collection, browse the Hacienda Sahuayo range, or compare other añejo tequilas.
Tasting Notes
Bright, luminous, and transparent in the glass. Aromas of caramel, coconut, vanilla, and cooked agave with herbal hints of mint and raw agave, plus flashes of lemon citrus, violets, white chocolate, and minerals. The palate leads with vegetal, herbal agave and vanilla at an average weight; the finish is long, spicy, and dry — more bitter than sweet.
How to Enjoy
Neat in a sommelier-style glass to catch the caramel-vanilla nose, or put the crystal clarity to work in elevated cocktails — a cristalino margarita or paloma stays pristine in the glass.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does cristalino filtration do?
Activated-carbon filtration strips the color (and some barrel character) from an aged tequila while keeping its softness — aged flavor, clear pour.
Is tequila only made in Jalisco?
No — legal tequila production covers Jalisco, Guanajuato, Michoacán, Nayarit, and Tamaulipas. Hacienda Sahuayo is in Michoacán.
Why is it still called "añejo" after filtering?
Añejo is an age class (12 months–3 years in oak ≤600L); cristalino is a filtration designation. This one aged 18 months, so it earns the añejo name.
What NOM is Hacienda Sahuayo?
NOM 1511 — the distillery's license number, printed on the bottle, identifying the exact facility in Sahuayo, Michoacán.
Crystal-clear aged tequila is a rare find — order Hacienda Sahuayo Anejo Cristalino from Del Mesa Liquor in San Diego, CA.