Spirits Bottle Photography Series – PART 5: Cazcanes Añejo No. 7

One of the founders of the Cazcanes brand, Colin Edwards, came to the world of tequila from a background in winemaking. The company’s origin story states that Edwards and his brother began learning about tequila production by visiting multiple tequila distilleries and finding a master distiller with a long family history of tequila making who had his own “moonshine”-like distillate, which he subsequently taught to Edwards.

Cazcanes’ line includes several blancos at different ABVs (a “No. 7” 80 proof, a “No. 9” 90 proof, & a “No. 10” 100 proof), a regular reposado “No. 7,” and a regular añejo “No. 7.” The brand also occasionally releases special editions including a rosa blanco and a rosa reposado as well as higher proof aged expressions. Cazcanes uses lowland (valley) Weber Blue agave.

Using trucked-in natural, mineral-rich volcanic spring water from the Navichi Springs, which originates in the San Pedro De Los Landeros Mountains, Cazcanes is a premium priced tequila with single bottles of many of its expressions, except the No. 7 Blanco, hovering between $80 to over $100. Cazcanes extracts the agave sugars using a roller mill before cooking it in a low pressure autoclave. The tequila is then fermented using wild yeast in open-air stainless steel tanks before being double distilled in a stainless alembic still with a copper coil.

With aromas and flavors of cooked agave and sweet baking spices, coconut, vanilla, and chocolate, Cazcanes No. 7 Añejo is aged in American White Oak barrels formerly used to age bourbon.

The brand’s unique bottle design makes it stand out. The rope attachments on each bottle are hand tied.