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.

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.