Distiller Bertha González, owner of “Casa Dragones” an artisan tequila brand, and the first woman to be certified as a master distiller in Mexico, wrote an article for Afar magazine, she tells how to explore the “new and hip” San Miguel like a tequila distiller.
There’s something about San Miguel de Allende. It may look like any other Mexican mountain city at first, but generations of artists have fallen in love with the sunset-colored houses and the charming cobblestone streets. There is an ineffable something about this UNESCO World Heritage city that even badass lady distiller Bertha González has a hard time explaining: “It really is a magic city,” she insists again and again. And it must be, if González and her artisanal tequila brand,Casa Dragones, call a city located 250 miles from the Tequila region their “spiritual home.”
Bertha Gonzales (photo: Casa Dragones)
González grew up in Mexico City and discovered her love for tequila (the industry as well as the drink) in her late teens. After becoming the first woman to be certified as a master distiller, she and entrepreneur Bob Pittman launched Casa Dragones Joven tequila in 2009 and chose San Miguel as home base for their brand. But while González had spent her teenage years piling into the car with friends for weekend trips to San Miguel de Allende, a love of the city wasn’t the only reason Casa Dragones set up shop in the sleepy place.
San Miguel’s temperate weather, bohemian vibe, and plethora of rooftops with sunset views has made the city a popular “secret” vacation destination and retirement spot for Mexicans and ex-pats alike since the 1950s. But under that mellow surface, San Miguel de Allende been a hotspot for artists and revolutionaries going all the way back to the Mexican War for Independence. The humble textile town became legendary when the city’s most celebrated son, Ignacio Allende, helped lead the charge against the Spanish crown, aided by his elite cavalry, Los Dragones. It was that deep-seeded Mexican pride that resonated with Casa Dragones, because González is a bit of a champion herself—a tequila champion.
San Miguel’s Mercado Centro (photo: afar.com)
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Source: Afar
