In Mexico’s Tonalá, talented artisans have been perfecting the tradition of handcrafted pottery for centuries. Known for its historic barro bruñido (burnished clay) technique, which gives this area’s ceramics their signature lustre, this charming city in Guadalajara, Jalisco, is home to master artisan Ángel Ortiz Gabriel. Having learned his craft from his grandparents, Ortiz has been molding clay since he was a child, and is known for bringing daily life, folklore and nature into his award-winning designs.
His hometown is a not-too-distant neighbor to luxury tequila producer, Clase Azul, which has been producing the national spirit in striking decanters since 1997. Founded by Arturo Arturo Lomelí who set out to make a tequila that represented the vibrancy of its home, the brand has collaborated with Ortiz for the fourth installment of its Master Artisans collection, Clase Azul Tequila Master Artisans Edición Limitada por Ángel Ortiz.
The Master Artisans collection was launched in 2021 as a tribute to the country’s finest craftsmanship and has previously worked with artists Ángel Santos (2021), Jesús Guerrero Santos (2022) and the duo Fernando Jimón and María Elena López (2024). This year’s release with Ortiz, who has designed just 100 sets of three decanters housing some of Clase Azul’s skillfully aged tequila, is a rare chance to gift someone the taste, tradition and heritage of both these handcrafted products. “I inherited this technique from my hometown, along with my family’s traditions,” says Ortiz of this time-honored technique. “With Clase Azul, we created this collection inspired by our culture.”
Each of the trio of decanters designed by Ortiz tells its own visual story and houses a matching tequila, crafted by master distiller Viridiana Tinoco, aged in American whiskey casks and finished in Premier Cru Supérieur Sauternes wine casks from Bordeaux. Each of the aged expressions has also been produced using the slow-drip method of dilution, something more common in brandy and Cognac making, which brings even more texture and balance to the tequilas.
The first decanter, Jardín Tonalteca (Garden in Tonalá) depicts the colors and themes of a serene natural landscape, with a central white-tailed deer – native to the region – surrounded by blue agave and the Tonalá flower, which has featured on ceramics from the area for centuries. Inside sits a reposado tequila which has spent 11 months in barrel resulting in notes such as apricot, peach, raisin and toasted almond. Its cap features a matte chocolate patina and a crowning flower.
The second, Coro Silvestre (Choir of the Wild), nestles us into a verdant and lush jungle with birds and fauna brought to life with deep green, orange and red tones made from natural oxides and earth pigments. Its closure comes in a matte brass finish, while on the decanter’s crown you’ll find a six-petalled flower in white and red. An añejo tequila, aged for 25 months, completes the experience with apricot preserve, walnut, warming clove and sweet citrus flavors.
Finally, the third and final decanter, Paraíso Nocturno (Nocturnal Paradise) transports us to a luminous forest with blue and white highlights popping against a dark matte background. Intricate foliage is brought to life with a deer and a hummingbird, and it is topped with a matching matte black patina copper cap and a blue flower at its crown. The oldest tequila has been preserved for this decanter – an extra añejo, aged for 41 months, which brings dark chocolate, clove, candied walnut and a silky spiced finish.
With just 100 releases of the Clase Azul Tequila Master Artisans Edición Limitada por Ángel Ortiz, each set represents a chance to honor and recognize the history of one Mexico’s most revered crafts. For Ortiz, these decanters keep his, his family and the region of Tonala’s tradition alive: “We achieved something meaningful by reviving these designs. This tradition must not be forgotten; it’s a source of family pride to keep it alive.” That’s a gift worth giving.
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