Clase Azul México, the Mexican luxury house known for its exquisite spirits and devotion to craftsmanship, proudly announces the release of Clase Azul Tequila Master Artisans Edición Limitada por Ángel Ortiz. This fourth installment in the Master Artisans collection continues the brand’s mission to celebrate Mexico’s most exceptional artisans and the rich cultural legacies they embody. The release will comprise just 100 sets, each containing three handcrafted decanters.
The Master Artisans collection, launched in 2021, is a tribute to the country’s finest craftsmanship. It has previously showcased the works of Ángel Santos, Jesús Guerrero Santos, and the duo Fernando Jimón and María Elena López. Each edition unites visionary artisans whose creations express Mexico’s profound artistic heritage through innovation, mastery, and beauty.
For this new edition, Clase Azul collaborated with master artisan Ángel Ortiz Gabriel, from Tonalá, Jalisco—a region synonymous with Mexico’s most distinguished pottery traditions. Having learned his craft from his grandparents and further refined under the mentorship of the legendary Jorge Wilmot, Ortiz has been shaping clay since childhood. Over his decades-long career, he has received numerous awards, including the Tonallan National Craft Award and the National Prize for Arts and Sciences in Folk Arts and Traditions, presented by the President of Mexico in 2006.
His work, steeped in barro bruñido (“burnished clay”)—a centuries-old technique that gives ceramics their characteristic luster through the friction of pyrite—is a harmonious balance of tradition and contemporary creativity. His pieces, often inspired by daily life, folklore, and nature, evoke both heritage and renewal.
“I inherited this technique from my hometown, along with my family’s traditions. Whenever inspiration comes to me, I think of my town of Tonalá,” says Ortiz of the technique that inspired this limited edition. “With Clase Azul, we created this collection inspired by our culture. 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.”
Ortiz presents three extraordinary decanters that reinterpret the barro bruñido technique through his distinctive artistic vision. Each design transforms clay, pigment, and form into a story of color, texture, and symbolism — a bridge between Mexico’s past and present.
Jardín tonalteca (“Garden in Tonalá”)
An elegant balance between tradition and innovation, the first decanter features earthy hues of ochre, red, and blue-grey, depicting a serene natural landscape. At its center, a white-tailed deer — native to the region — is surrounded by local flora, including blue agave and the iconic Tonalá flower, a motif that has adorned the area’s ceramics for centuries. A hammered copper cap with a matte chocolate patina and a flower on the crown of the decanter complete the design.
Coro silvestre (“Choir of the Wild”)
The second piece evokes a lush, vibrant jungle filled with birds and foliage rendered in deep green, orange, and red tones. The colors—artisanally derived from natural oxides and earth pigments—are meticulously applied; their seamless transitions revealing the Master Artisan’s delicate touch on the ceramic surface. This piece features a hammered copper cap with a delicate, matte brass finish. Beneath it, on the crown of the decanter, lies a flower with six flame-shaped petals in white and reddish hues.
Paraíso nocturno (“Nocturnal Paradise”)
Set against a dark matte background, the third decanter reveals a luminous forest illuminated by blue and white highlights. A deer and hummingbird appear amid intricate foliage, representing serenity and timelessness. The design is topped with a hammered copper cap in a matte black patina and a delicate blue flower at its crown.
Each decanter contains a unique tequila crafted by Master Distiller Viridiana Tinoco, inspired by Ortiz’s mastery and his intergenerational legacy. Aged in American whiskey casks and finished in Premier Cru Supérieur Sauternes wine casks from Bordeaux, each expression evolves with time—much like the transmission of craft from one generation to the next.
- Jardín tonalteca (Reposado): aged over 11 months with notes of apricot, peach, raisin, and toasted almond.
- Coro silvestre (Añejo): aged over 25 months with aromas of apricot preserves, walnut, and clove, with a sweet citrus finish.
- Paraíso nocturno (Extra Añejo): aged over 41 months with deep notes of dark chocolate, clove, and candied walnut with a silky, spiced finish.
Each expression employs the slow-drip dilution method, a refined process that integrates water drop by drop, traditionally used in brandy and cognac production. This method enhances balance, clarity, and smoothness, resulting in a tequila of exceptional texture and harmony.
Clase Azul Tequila Master Artisans Edición Limitada por Ángel Ortiz is presented as a set of three, one-liter decanters (40% ABV; 80 proof). Priced at 22,000 USD before taxes, this collection is available at the brand’s boutique in Clase Azul La Terraza Los Cabos, San José del Cabo as well as at Clase Azul The Loft Brooklyn, by invitation only.
