Siete Leguas is a brand of tequila produced under NOM 1120 in the municipality of Atotonilco al Alto, Jalisco. Founded in 1952 by Don Ignacio González, Siete Leguas is named after the prized horse of General Pancho Villa and references the distance a horse could supposedly travel in one day (seven leagues). The family tradition continues through Juan Fernando González de Anda, the son of Don Ignacio, who currently manages the operations.
Siete Leguas is unique in that the NOM encompasses two distilleries: the original distillery, El Centenario, and La Vencedora, completed in 1984. Using family-owned agave as well as agave purchased to support the local economy, Siete Leguas uses traditional and modern techniques to create its signature flavor. El Centenario uses small brick ovens, a mule-drawn tahona, small-vat fermentation with fibers, and double distillation in small copper pot stills, the first of which includes fibers (the retention of the fibers in both these steps is held to increase the depth of agave flavor in the finished product). La Vencedora incorporates modern techniques using large brick ovens, roller mills, large stainless fermenters without fibers, and a double distillation in large copper pot stills without fibers. Juan Fernando and master distiller Arturo Valle-Salcedo then manually blend the tequila produced from the two distilleries for the final blanco product. Siete Leguas is aged in American white oak barrels. Expressions offered include an eight-month-old reposado, a two-year-old añejo, and the five-year-old D’Antaño.
Martineau, Chantal. How the Gringos Stole Tequila. San Antonio, TX: Trinity University Press, 2015.
By: Misty Kalkofen