Featured image for Turner Duckworth's New Hornitos Packaging Honors Tequila's Heritage

Turner Duckworth's New Hornitos Packaging Honors Tequila's Heritage

by Rudy Sanchez on 05/29/2020 | 2 Minute Read

Hornitos tequila debuted in 1950, created by Don Francisco Sauza, grandson of “The Father of Tequila” Don Cenobio Sauza. Hornitos, which means “little ovens” in Spanish, refers to the use of smaller cooking receptacles in the tequila making process, an innovation which allowed for greater control of the roasting process and was part of an effort by Don Francisco to create a more refined spirit, helping to elevate tequila from peasant drink to global sensation.

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Don Francisco didn’t stop at small ovens, as Hornitos was also one of the first reposados, tequila briefly aged in wooden barrels, usually under a year, a process that lends the Mexican spirit a smoother, more complex flavor. Don Fransisco also started using a more attractive bottle, giving the blue agave spirit a shelf appeal closer to that of other renowned spirits.

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The tequila's heritage shines through Hornitos’ latest refresh, executed with the help of design agency Turner Duckworth. The bold new bottles feature a raised blue agave leaf prominently up front, with the phrase “100% Agave” embossed below the vessel's beautifully scalloped shoulder. 

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A new stamp is used on the neck portraying two hands holding the bottom half of a small oven bearing the words “tree of wonders.” The term, translated from the Spanish phrase “El Árbol de Las Maravillas,” is an old nickname for the agave plant, which was used since Mesoamerican times as a source of food, fiber, building materials, and pulque, a fermented drink made from the heart of the agave and considered the nectar of the gods. The bottle also comes capped with a sleeker cork, and the new packaging bears founder Don Fransisco’s signature on the back, another nod to the brand’s legacy.

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A passion for tequila, respect for the agave plant, and dedication to innovation are exemplified by Hornitos’ new packaging, which like their first reposado, is smooth with complex details. The tequila’s legacy is highlighted and respected with a more refined and modern look that continues Don Fransisco’s devotion to blue agave derived spirit.

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