Tequila brand guide
Guillermo Sauza rebuilt his family’s old distillery around a stone oven, tahona and copper pots. Bottles can be hard to find; our bar-menu survey offers another way to compare the range.
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The family and the distillery
Fortaleza restored a small Sauza-family distillery in Tequila
Fortaleza launched in 2005, after Guillermo Sauza restored the family’s retained distillery in the town of Tequila, Jalisco. Work began in 1999 on the small brick oven, tahona pit, wooden fermentation tanks and copper pot stills.
The earlier family business was sold by Don Javier Sauza in 1976; the family kept the hacienda and distillery that became Fortaleza. Sauza tequila is a separate brand, now owned by Suntory Global Spirits.
Fortaleza launched as Los Abuelos, honoring Guillermo’s grandfathers. A US trademark dispute with Abuelo rum led to the Fortaleza name, while Los Abuelos continued in Mexico. Both names refer to the same tequila. Guillermo explains the two names in this interview.
Guillermo Sauza
Founder and family producer
Guillermo Sauza, Don Javier Sauza’s grandson, began restoring the family distillery in 1999 and launched Fortaleza in 2005.
Don Javier Sauza
Earlier family owner of the distillery site
Sold the earlier family tequila business in 1976 while the family retained the hacienda and small distillery that later became Fortaleza.
The four regular expressions are the unaged Blanco, its undiluted 46% Still Strength counterpart, and the oak-aged Reposado and Añejo. Winter Blend is a separate limited release. Availability can be uneven.
Four regular expressions
Blanco and Still Strength differ in proof; the aged bottles add oak
Blanco, Reposado and Añejo are 40% ABV in the US; Still Strength is 46%.
Flavor notes below are the maker’s descriptions.
- Blanco
Blanco
40% ABV
Unaged
$85 · sold outUS shop price
About $21 a shot5 US menus · October 2026
Citrus, cooked agave, butter, olive and earth.
- Reposado
Reposado
40% ABV
Around seven months; exact age varies by lot
$140 · sold outUS shop price
About $20 a shot5 US menus · October 2026
Cooked agave, citrus, vanilla, apple, earth and cinnamon.
- Añejo
Añejo
40% ABV
American oak
$200 · sold outUS shop price
About $38 a shot4 US menus · October 2026
Butterscotch, caramel, toffee, citrus, hazelnut and cooked agave.
- Blanco
- Higher proof
Blanco Still Strength
46% ABV · 92 proof
Unaged
$110 · sold outUS shop price
Ripe agave, green olive, earth, butter, black pepper and vegetal notes.
How long Fortaleza spends in the barrel
Fortaleza Reposado spends around seven months in American oak; the exact age varies by lot and appears on the bottle. Fortaleza Añejo also ages in American oak.
Fortaleza’s Añejo specifications give 18 months; its process guide gives two years. Neither identifies which current lots the figure covers. Checked October 9, 2026.
Compare Fortaleza prices, availability and alternatives →
How it is made
Stone ovens, a tahona and copper pots
Fortaleza sources Azul agave (A. tequilana) from the Tequila Valley. The agave cooks for 36 hours in a stone oven, then cools for 24 hours. A two-ton volcanic tahona, pulled by an electric tractor, crushes the cooked agave.
Fermentation takes place in open wooden tanks with the family’s yeast. The maker says fermentation uses 100% agave sugars, without other sugars or yeast-accelerating chemicals. Two copper pot distillations bring the spirit close to its bottling strength, around 46% ABV. Still Strength is bottled without added water; regular Blanco is 40% ABV.
Reposado and Añejo age in used American oak barrels that are re-chipped and re-charred. The range comes in hand-blown bottles with agave-shaped stoppers.
Fortaleza is made at Destilería La Fortaleza in Tequila, Jalisco, by Tequila Los Abuelos, S.A. de C.V., NOM 1493.
Destilería La Fortaleza · Tequila, Jalisco
Explore other tequila distilleries on our full map →
Open Fortaleza’s producer and bottle record →
Fortaleza’s process · Still Strength specifications
What it costs
Fortaleza prices and availability
Our October 2026 US check found asking prices of about $85–200. These are shop prices, not recommended retail prices. The bar-menu examples below make a pour a useful option before committing to a bottle.
All of these listings were sold out when checked.
| Bottle | Price (USD) |
|---|---|
| Blanco | $85 |
| Reposado | $140 |
| Añejo | $200 |
| Blanco Still Strength | $110 |
Prices are subject to change.
Price sources and details
US bottle listings, checked October 4, 2026. Tax and delivery are extra.
- Old Town Tequila: Blanco, about $85 (750 mL).
- Old Town Tequila: Reposado, about $140 (750 mL).
- Old Town Tequila: Añejo, about $200 (750 mL).
- Old Town Tequila: Blanco Still Strength, about $110 (750 mL).
Is Fortaleza additive free?
Yes. Fortaleza is additive free.
Sources and earlier records
Our Process — official Fortaleza page · Spirited Agave additive free brand list — August 2025
Yes. Fortaleza is additive free. Our additive free list records Fortaleza and Los Abuelos at NOM 1493 with Tequila Matchmaker provenance. That listing preserves the earlier program’s evidence; it is not a new certification issued in 2026.
Keep comparing
What to compare with Fortaleza
These US blancos are all 40% ABV. El Tesoro and Fortaleza use tahona milling; Ocho uses a roller mill and identifies the agave’s estate or growing region.
Three unaged tequilas at 40% ABV
- Blanco
Tequila Ocho Plata
40% ABV
Unaged
Roller milling and named estate vintages. The growing place varies with the bottle.
$42US shop price
About $15 a shot9 US menus · October 2026
- Blanco
El Tesoro Blanco
40% ABV
Unaged
Tahona milling and fermentation with agave pulp at La Alteña.
$50US shop price
About $12 a shot9 US menus · October 2026
- Blanco
Fortaleza Blanco
40% ABV
Unaged
Tahona milling and copper pot distillation in the Tequila Valley.
$85 · sold outUS shop price
About $21 a shot5 US menus · October 2026
Quick answers
Questions about Fortaleza
Who founded Fortaleza tequila?
Guillermo Sauza founded Fortaleza, which launched in 2005. He began restoring his family’s old distillery in 1999 and is Don Javier Sauza’s grandson.
Where is Fortaleza tequila made?
Fortaleza is made at Destilería La Fortaleza in Tequila, Jalisco. Its producer is Tequila Los Abuelos, S.A. de C.V., NOM 1493.
Are Fortaleza and Los Abuelos connected?
Yes. Fortaleza and Los Abuelos are the same tequila under two names. Los Abuelos was the original name; a US trademark dispute with Abuelo rum led to the Fortaleza name. Guillermo Sauza explains the change in his interview with Margarita Texas.
How strong is Fortaleza Still Strength?
Fortaleza Blanco Still Strength is 46% ABV, or 92 proof. It is bottled without added water. Regular Fortaleza Blanco is 40% ABV.
Is Fortaleza Still Strength a limited Winter Blend release?
No. Still Strength Blanco is part of Fortaleza’s regular four-expression range. Winter Blend is a separately named reposado release with an edition year.
How long is Fortaleza Reposado aged?
Fortaleza Reposado is aged around seven months in American oak. The exact period varies by lot and is printed on the bottle.
Why do some Fortaleza shops show a price but no bottle to buy?
A seller can retain a product page and displayed price after stock runs out. All four Fortaleza listings in our October 2026 check were sold out.
Is Fortaleza additive free?
Yes. Fortaleza is additive free.
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.
- Fortaleza Añejo — official Fortaleza pageChecked 2026-10-04.
- Fortaleza Blanco — official Fortaleza pageChecked 2026-10-04.
- CRT: Tequila Los Abuelos producer listing for Los Abuelos and FortalezaChecked 2026-10-04.
- Fortaleza History — official Fortaleza pageChecked 2026-10-04.
- Our Process — official Fortaleza pageChecked 2026-10-04.
- Fortaleza Reposado — official Fortaleza pageChecked 2026-10-04.
- Fortaleza Blanco (Still Strength) — official Fortaleza pageChecked 2026-10-04.
- Best New Spirit of 2020: Fortaleza Reposado Winter Blend 2019 — official Fortaleza pageChecked 2026-10-04.
- Spirited Agave additive free brand list — August 2025Checked 2026-10-06. August 2025 list preserves earlier Tequila Matchmaker entries.
- Guillermo Sauza on Fortaleza and Los AbuelosChecked 2026-10-06.
- Suntory Global Spirits tequila brandsChecked 2026-10-06.