| It all started towards the year 1700, when several Orendain families established themselves in village labor settlements ”rancherias”, in the state of Jalisco. Their economic activities began with agriculture, trade and mining. However, they quickly became involved in the production of tequila. So the legendary estates called “haciendas” were formed, and with the passing of time the “haciendas” became prosperous and modern communities. Especially “Hacienda el Refugio”, acquired by the Orendain family in 1866, having extensive agave plantations, the family began to develop modern stills to produce high quality “mezcal”, for exports to the United States and El Salvador. Not satisfied with that, the family supported a transportation system that used mules to send the product to its destination intact. By 1884, “Hacienda el Refugio” was renowned in Jalisco, producing 150,000 liters per year. As the years went by, toward 1899, the tequila industry was consolidated as the most important of Jalisco, with a total of thirty-nine taverns (factories). Our great-grandfather, Don Eduardo Orendain Orendain was born in Magdalena, Jalisco, he married Dona Maria Guadalupe Gonzalez Chavez and moved to Tequila, Jalisco, where our grandfather Don Eduardo Orendain Gonzalez was born. Even though our great-grandfather lived a short life, he fathered five children, and his legacy to them was immeasurable, shaping family values in them, such as: laboriousness, honesty, respect and love for the homeland. Our grandfather, Don Eduardo Orendain Gonzalez married Dona Mercedes Hernandez Montano, who also shared deep roots with the tequila industry. Their union marked a perfect time for the creation, in the year 1926, of the ”La Mexicana” distillery. Since then, the tequila that brings up the name of the family has been produced. Our grandfather prepared our father Don Alfonso Orendain Hernandez to face the challenges of life; transmitting his knowledge and values such as, the devotion to family and the love for his homeland, never forgetting to serve the community, with a social and political commitment, that was evident when he was elected Mayor of Tequila, Jalisco in 1947. Our father, since childhood, received the difficult and mystical art of producing tequila. We will not get tired of listening to our father’s story of how he received the secrets of the elaboration of good tequila from our grandfather. Our father taught us with his excellent and outstanding example every step of the production of tequila. He cultivated and took care of the agave (which later becomes tequila) personally, making sure that the raw material had a higher quality every time. He always told us: ”You must take care of the agave, the process, the product, the presentation, the package and the client with the very same care”. With this great legacy, now it’s our turn, the three Orendain Lopez brothers to continue making history with Tequila Tierras Autenticas de Jalisco. |
