How high in ABV can a mass-market tequila get? Herradura is looking to find out, with the return of Directo de Alambique, an unaged, still-strength expression bottled at 110 proof at Casa Herradura in Amatitán, Jalisco.
The tequila first appeared in 2012 as a small-batch experiment and developed a cult following among collectors before disappearing. The brand says the 2026 return comes after years of requests from drinkers hunting down old bottles.
It’s made from 100% Blue Weber agave pulled from several different growing regions. The agave is slow-cooked in traditional clay ovens for more than 26 hours, fermented in the open air (a practice the distillery has kept since the 1800s), then double distilled in pot stills.
That 110 proof figure isn’t just some number they threw out there. Mexican regulations cap tequila at 55% ABV, so Directo de Alambique (which translates roughly as “straight from the still”) is bottled at the absolute legal maximum.
The release also kicks off Colección de la Casa, a new annual limited-edition series from Herradura. Each year’s edition is meant to spotlight a different corner of the distillery’s production.
Apparently, there are rules
If you’ve never tasted unaged agave distillate, I highly encourage it. Unlike the corn or barley that makes unaged whiskey (or “white dog”), agave produces a distillate that is incredibly tasty right off the still. Of course, aging doesn’t hurt — and that’s where we get into the rules.
Tequila is sorted by how long it spends in a barrel, and the categories are legally defined. Blanco is bottled straight after distillation or rested up to two months. Reposado sits in oak between two and 12 months. Añejo runs one to three years, extra añejo three-plus.
Directo de Alambique is unaged, which technically lands it in blanco territory, but it’s a different animal than the usual 80-proof blanco in a margarita. Standard tequila is proofed down with water to around 40% ABV. This one skips that step entirely.
Herradura has been around since 1870 and is credited with creating the first reposado, so the distillery has a long history of getting out ahead of the category. It’s now owned by Brown-Forman, the Louisville company behind Jack Daniel’s and Woodford Reserve.
Where to Buy It
Directo de Alambique retails for $79.99 and is rolling out in limited quantities across U.S. and Mexican markets. Given that the 2012 run turned into a collector’s item, this one probably won’t linger.
