Don Julio is a brand of tequila that is produced in Mexico. The company was founded in 1942 by Don Julio González-Frausto Estrada, and it is currently owned by the Diageo Corporation. Don Julio tequila is made from 100% blue agave, and it is aged for a minimum of two years in oak barrels.
Don Julio tequila has a reputation for being high quality, and it has won numerous awards over the years. The Don Julio brand is also known for its distinctive bottle design, which features a hand-crafted clay jug with the words "DON JULIO" embossed on the front.
Named after its founder Don Julio González, Don Julio Tequila was founded in Jalisco when González began distilling Tequila in 1942. He was 17 at the time. He named his distillery La Primavera which translates to “the Springtime”. Initially made to share with his close friends and family, the popularity and quality of his Tequila spread and gave room for a business to grow.
For González’s 60th birthday, in 1985, his sons created a Tequila in his name, Don Julio, and it was this quality Tequila that launched the company in 1987. It is considered to be the world's first luxury tequila.
Each agave plant used in Don Julio is planted further apart, giving them more room to grow. It is then allowed to grow to full maturity before harvest and then slow-roasted in 72-hour cycles.
Tequila bottles were usually tall and hidden beneath the table. González designed a shorter bottle so his guests could still see each other across the table, seeing his Tequila as worthy of being placed on the table rather than under it. Don Julio González passed away in 2012, and the brand has been fully owned by Diageo since 2014.