Clase Azul guide
The blue and white Reposado decanter made Clase Azul instantly recognizable. The range now includes six tequilas, three mezcals and collector editions, with differences in agave, cooking, aging and bottle craftsmanship.
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The brand
A tequila business built around a recognizable bottle
Arturo Lomelí founded Clase Azul in Guadalajara in 1997. His early tequila venture struggled, and in 1999 he returned to study marketing. The ceramic Reposado bottle launched in 2000 became the turning point: a tall white decanter painted in cobalt blue, recognizable across a bar before anyone reads the name. Brand history.
Design is central to Clase Azul’s appeal and its luxury pricing. The bottles are made to be displayed and kept, and the silver colored cap on the familiar Reposado doubles as a bell. The regular range includes six tequilas—Plata, Reposado, Blanco Ahumado, Gold, Añejo and Ultra—and three mezcals named for Durango, Guerrero and San Luis Potosí.
Arturo Lomelí
Founder
Founded Clase Azul in Guadalajara in 1997. After an unsuccessful early tequila venture, he returned to study marketing and developed the ceramic bottle that became the brand’s signature.
Viridiana Tinoco
Master distiller
Leads the creation of Clase Azul’s tequila blends, including its annual Día de Muertos editions.
Tradición Mazahua and specialist workshops
Decanter artisans
Clase Azul established Tradición Mazahua in 2007, working with the ceramic community of Santa María Canchesda in the State of Mexico. Caps and special ornaments also involve artisans from other regions.
The expressions
Clase Azul bottles, agaves and prices
Flavor notes below are the maker’s descriptions.
- Blanco
Plata
40% ABV
Unaged
$130–150US shop price
About $30 a shot7 US menus · October 2026
Bottle: Clear glass with a silver colored cap and emblem; the unaged tequila is visible through the bottle.
fresh orange, lemon, mint, vanilla and green apple.
- Reposado
Reposado
40% ABV
8 months
$150–165US shop price
About $36 a shot18 US menus · October 2026
Bottle: White ceramic painted by hand with cobalt blue feather patterns, topped by the familiar silver colored bell cap.
hazelnut, vanilla, clove, cinnamon and agave honey.
- Blanco
Blanco Ahumado
45% ABV
Unaged
$250US shop price
Production: Azul agave cooked in an earth pit with firewood and volcanic rock; smoky unaged tequila.
Bottle: Smoky glass above a dark ceramic base inspired by volcanic rock, with a copper cap and emblem.
smoked agave, fresh plum, red apple, lemon and mineral notes.
- Joven blend
Gold
40% ABV
Blend of unaged and aged tequila
$300US shop price
About $80 a shot7 US menus · October 2026
Bottle: Gold tinted glass joined to a dark ceramic base, with a design inspired by sunset.
agave syrup, apple, orange peel, fig, raisin and toasted wood.
- Añejo
Añejo
40% ABV
25 months
$480US shop price
About $95 a shot11 US menus · October 2026
Bottle: A terracotta colored base with agave and water motifs, white lattice decoration and a logo painted in 24 karat gold.
toffee, cinnamon, clove, hazelnut, vanilla and orange marmalade.
- Extra añejo
Ultra
40% ABV
5 years
$1,775US shop price
About $248 a shot3 US menus · October 2026 · small sample
Bottle: Black ceramic decorated with platinum, silver and 24 karat gold; the feather pattern is painted freehand.
sherry, prune, apricot, cherry, maple, hazelnut and oak.
- Joven mezcal
Mezcal Durango
44% ABV
Unaged
$370US shop price
Agave: Cenizo (A. durangensis)
Bottle: Dark, textured ceramic inspired by black clay, with carved Mazahua decoration and a colorful Wixárika beadwork cap.
cooked agave, citrus, herbs, green olive, clove and roasted peanut.
- Joven mezcal
Mezcal Guerrero
42% ABV
Unaged
$370US shop price
Agave: Papalote (A. cupreata)
Bottle: Jade green ceramic with four petal flowers; the painted cap depicts a hummingbird using Olinalá craft techniques.
grapefruit peel, rosemary, butter, fresh wood and lemon-pepper notes.
- Joven mezcal
Mezcal San Luis Potosí
43% ABV
Unaged
$390US shop price
Agave: Verde (A. salmiana)
Production: Steam cooked in vaulted stone ovens, milled with a Chilean mill and distilled twice in copper stills.
Bottle: Red ceramic honoring the Huachichil, with landscape and agave motifs and a red finch worked in colored yarn on the cap.
steamed agave, caramel, green chile, fresh grass, lime and clove.
- Joven blend
Spirit of Champions
40% ABV
Unaged tequila blended with tequila aged 28 months in French oak
Bottle: White ceramic with an unglazed band, gold colored ribbons and a green malachite emblem.
cooked agave, coconut, toasted wood, vanilla, almond and cinnamon.
- Añejo blend
Día de Muertos 2026 — Trascender
40% ABV
Two añejo components aged at least 30 months
$2,000 · 1000 mLUS shop price
Bottle: Glaze fades from deep blue to magenta, with painted flowers, skull motifs and 24 karat gold lines.
pear, ripe apple, peach, honey, toasted bread, cacao and walnut.
Día de Muertos and other collector editions
Día de Muertos is an annual release with a new decanter and blend. The five editions in the Nuestros Recuerdos series ran from 2021 through 2025. Trascender, the 2026 edition, begins a new chapter: an Añejo blend with both components aged at least 30 months, including one finished in Champagne casks. There are 10,000 one liter decanters and 290 in the 1.75 L size.
Spirit of Champions combines unaged tequila with tequila aged 28 months in large French oak casks. It is bottled at 40% ABV in a white one liter decanter with a green malachite emblem.
Earlier collector releases include Pink Reposado, Master Artisans, Puebla and the 20th and 25th anniversary editions. Our most expensive tequila guide includes photographs and background on these bottles.
How Clase Azul tequila and mezcal are made
The core tequilas use Highland Azul agave (A. tequilana) cooked in stone ovens, a house yeast for fermentation and double distillation in copper equipment. Reposado spends eight months in American whiskey casks; Añejo spends 25 months. Ultra is aged for five years, starting in American whiskey casks and finishing in Spanish sherry casks.
Blanco Ahumado takes a different approach: the Azul agave is cooked in an earth pit with firewood and volcanic rock, a method often associated with mezcal. It is an unaged tequila bottled at 45% ABV.
Mezcal San Luis Potosí offers an interesting contrast. Its salmiana agave is steamed in vaulted stone ovens—a cooking step more familiar to many tequila drinkers—then milled with a Chilean mill and distilled twice in copper stills. Read more about the agaves, makers and bottles in our Clase Azul mezcal comparison.
Where is Clase Azul made?
Clase Azul tequila is made at La Hacienda in Capilla de Guadalupe, Tepatitlán de Morelos, Jalisco. Its producer is Casa Tradición, NOM 1595. The mezcals come from Durango, Guerrero and San Luis Potosí.
Clase Azul tequila: La Hacienda, Jalisco
La Hacienda is in Capilla de Guadalupe, in the municipality of Tepatitlán de Morelos.
Explore other tequila distilleries on our full map →
Clase Azul mezcal regions
Durango, Guerrero and San Luis Potosí each supply a different agave and a different expression.
Explore other mezcal distilleries on our full map →
Clase Azul’s producer and NOM record →
Ceramic bottles, beadwork and painted caps
Clase Azul established Tradición Mazahua in 2007, working with artisans in Santa María Canchesda in the State of Mexico. La Hacienda in Jalisco also has ceramic production facilities. The distinctive caps and special editions bring in other craftspeople: the 2024 Día de Muertos bottle, for example, combined an illustration by David Espinoza with a moving Catrina ornament made at Milagros de Latón in Tesistán, Jalisco.
The mezcal caps are particularly varied. Durango has colorful Wixárika beadwork; Guerrero has a hummingbird painted using Olinalá techniques; San Luis Potosí has a red finch made with colored yarn. These details make each bottle identifiable even before its label is read.
Where to visit and taste Clase Azul
- La Terraza, Los Cabos: restaurant, bar, boutique and tasting experiences at The Shoppes at Palmilla in San José del Cabo. Visit details.
- Casa de Los Leones, Mexico City: a Polanco destination opened in February 2026, with the five expression Taste of Time experience by appointment. The Polanco experience.
- La Hacienda, Jalisco: factory and craft tours, tastings and the OYA restaurant in Capilla de Guadalupe. Tour and reservation details.
- La Tierra, Tokyo: a boutique and tasting destination in Ebisu Garden Place. Book a tasting.
What it costs
Clase Azul bottle and shot prices
In our October 2026 US price check, Plata costs around $130–150, Reposado $150–165 and the three mezcals $370–390. The jump from Reposado to Añejo is substantial: around $480 for the longer aged tequila.
| Bottle | Price (USD) |
|---|---|
| Plata | $130–150 |
| Reposado | $150–165 |
| Blanco Ahumado | $250 |
| Gold | $300 |
| Añejo | $480 |
| Ultra | $1,775 |
| Mezcal Durango | $370 |
| Mezcal Guerrero | $370 |
| Mezcal San Luis Potosí | $390 |
| Día de Muertos 2026 — Trascender · 1000 mL | $2,000 |
Prices are subject to change.
Price sources and details
US bottle listings, checked October 4, 2026–October 6, 2026. Tax and delivery are extra.
- Old Town Tequila: Blanco Ahumado, about $250 (750 mL). In stock online. Checked October 4, 2026.
- Old Town Tequila: Añejo, about $480 (750 mL assumed). In stock online. Checked October 6, 2026.
- Old Town Tequila: Mezcal Durango, about $370 (750 mL). In stock online. Checked October 4, 2026.
- Old Town Tequila: Gold, about $300 (750 mL). In stock online. Checked October 4, 2026.
- Old Town Tequila: Mezcal Guerrero, about $370 (750 mL assumed). In stock online. Checked October 6, 2026.
- Old Town Tequila: Día de Muertos 2026 — Trascender, about $2,000 (1000 mL). In stock online. Checked October 4, 2026.
- Old Town Tequila: Plata, about $130 (750 mL). In stock online. Checked October 4, 2026.
- Old Town Tequila: Reposado, about $150 (750 mL). In stock online. Checked October 4, 2026.
- Old Town Tequila: Mezcal San Luis Potosí, about $390 (750 mL assumed). In stock online. Checked October 6, 2026.
- Old Town Tequila: Ultra, about $1,775 (750 mL assumed). In stock online. Checked October 6, 2026.
- ABC Fine Wine & Spirits: Plata, about $150 (750 mL). Availability varies by location. Checked October 4, 2026.
- ABC Fine Wine & Spirits: Reposado, about $154–165 (750 mL). Availability varies by location. Checked October 4, 2026.
Is Clase Azul additive free?
We have not found an additive free statement covering these Clase Azul tequilas and mezcals.
That leaves their additive status unclear.
Sources and earlier records
Clase Azul Asia: current official collection · Clase Azul Asia: distillates and decanters
A less expensive aged tequila to compare
Casa Noble Reposado is around $45–50 and its Añejo $52–56 in our October US check. Both use new French oak. They are useful comparisons for anyone interested in aged tequila at a much lower price than Clase Azul.
Questions about Clase Azul
Is Clase Azul tequila or mezcal?
Clase Azul makes both: six regular tequila expressions and three mezcals named Durango, Guerrero and San Luis Potosí.
Is Clase Azul Blanco Ahumado mezcal?
No. Blanco Ahumado is an unaged tequila made from Azul agave cooked in an earth pit with firewood and volcanic rock. It is 45% ABV.
Who founded Clase Azul?
Arturo Lomelí founded Clase Azul in Guadalajara in 1997. The familiar ceramic Reposado bottle followed in 2000.
Why does the Clase Azul bottle have a bell?
The bell is part of the familiar Reposado bottle’s cap. Ringing it has become part of the serving ritual, and the cap is one of the design details that makes the bottle recognizable.
Is Clase Azul Gold an eight year old tequila?
No. Gold blends unaged and aged tequila. The eight years refers to an extra añejo component, not the age of the whole blend.
More about Clase Azul and collector bottles
See Clase Azul prices and value, compare the three Clase Azul mezcals, or explore the bottles in our most expensive tequilas and most expensive mezcals guides.
Sources and photographs
Product facts and flavor notes: the producers linked below. Retail price sources appear beside the price comparison. Bottle photographs: brand and importer sources.
- Clase Azul Asia: current official collectionChecked 2026-10-04.
- Clase Azul Asia: brand storyChecked 2026-10-04.
- Clase Azul Asia: distillates and decantersChecked 2026-10-04.
- Clase Azul company article carried by Southern Glazer’s, 6 December 2024Checked 2026-10-04.
- Clase Azul Asia: PlataChecked 2026-10-04.
- Old Town: Clase Azul PlataChecked 2026-10-04.
- Clase Azul Asia: ReposadoChecked 2026-10-04.
- Old Town: Clase Azul ReposadoChecked 2026-10-04.
- Clase Azul Asia: Blanco AhumadoChecked 2026-10-04.
- Old Town: Clase Azul Blanco AhumadoChecked 2026-10-04.
- Clase Azul Asia: GoldChecked 2026-10-04.
- Old Town: Clase Azul GoldChecked 2026-10-04.
- Clase Azul Asia: AñejoChecked 2026-10-04.
- Old Town: Clase Azul AñejoChecked 2026-10-04.
- Clase Azul Asia: UltraChecked 2026-10-04.
- Old Town: Clase Azul UltraChecked 2026-10-04.
- Clase Azul Asia: Mezcal DurangoChecked 2026-10-04.
- Old Town: Clase Azul Mezcal DurangoChecked 2026-10-04.
- Clase Azul Asia: Mezcal GuerreroChecked 2026-10-04.
- Old Town: Clase Azul Mezcal GuerreroChecked 2026-10-04.
- Clase Azul Asia: Mezcal San Luis PotosíChecked 2026-10-04.
- Old Town: Clase Azul Mezcal San Luis PotosíChecked 2026-10-04.
- Clase Azul Asia: Spirit of ChampionsChecked 2026-10-04.
- Clase Azul Asia: Día de Muertos 2026 — TrascenderChecked 2026-10-04.
- Old Town: Clase Azul Día de Muertos 2026 — TrascenderChecked 2026-10-04.
- ABC: Clase Azul Plata 750 mLChecked 2026-10-04.
- ABC: Clase Azul Reposado 750 mL location-dependent pricesChecked 2026-10-04.
- Arturo Lomelí interview, Forbes Italia, November 2019Checked 2026-10-06.
- Forbes: Clase Azul business history, December 2024Checked 2026-10-06.
- Tatler: interview with Arturo LomelíChecked 2026-10-06.
- Jalisco tourism: La Hacienda Clase AzulChecked 2026-10-06.
- Wallpaper: La Hacienda, June 2026Checked 2026-10-06.
- Clase Azul importer announcement, April 2012Checked 2026-10-06.
- Clase Azul: Día de Muertos 2024 MusicChecked 2026-10-06.
- Walmart: Clase Azul Gold specificationsChecked 2026-10-06.
- Berry Bros. & Rudd: Clase Azul DurangoChecked 2026-10-06.
- Distiller: Clase Azul Mezcal GuerreroChecked 2026-10-06.
- Total Wine: Clase Azul Mezcal San Luis PotosíChecked 2026-10-06.
- Clase Azul: San Luis Potosí launch, February 2024Checked 2026-10-06.
- Mezcalistas: industry tasting, August 2016Checked 2026-10-06.
- Vogue México: Clase Azul Guerrero launch, May 2021Checked 2026-10-06.
- Mezcalistas: original Clase Azul Durango makerChecked 2026-10-06.
- Mezcal de Leyendas: CenizoChecked 2026-10-06.
- Los Cabos tourism: La TerrazaChecked 2026-10-06.
- Food & Wine: Casa de Los Leones, February 2026Checked 2026-10-06.
- Clase Azul: La Tierra Ebisu TokyoChecked 2026-10-06.
- Clase Azul: Ultra, English product pageChecked 2026-10-06.
- Clase Azul: Spirit of Champions product detailsChecked 2026-10-06.
- Spirited Agave: most expensive tequilasChecked 2026-10-06.
- Clase Azul bottle design and serving ritual, 2024 court findings, pages 9–10Checked 2026-10-06.