Step 1
The Agave
Our quest begins with the majestic blue Weber agave, nurtured under the sun for at least 8 years. When the time is just right, skilled jimadors step in, armed only with their sharp coa de jima—no machines allowed. They harvest the heart of the agave, or piña, prized for its sweetness. Once unearthed, these rich, juicy cores are transported to the distillery. There, they’re baked to perfection and pressed to release their flavorful nectar, ready to be transformed into Dano’s Dangerous Tequila.
Step 2
The Hornos
After harvesting, the agave hearts journey to our distillery where their transformation truly begins. We slow cook the piñas for 26 hours in traditional clay brick ovens, known as hornos. This age-old method uses pressurized steam to gently coax the starches of the raw agave into fermentable sugars, setting the stage for a tequila that’s as rich in flavor as it is in heritage.
Step 3
Fermentation
Once the agaves are cooked to perfection, they cool down and emerge sweet, sticky, and soft—prime for sugar extraction. We crush the piñas using a traditional tahona, a massive stone wheel, ensuring every drop of juice is separated from the fibers. These minced pieces are then washed with pure spring water and strained to extract the sweet juice. Next, we let nature take the reins. The natural airborne yeast begins its work, feasting on the sugars to produce alcohol, setting the foundation for a truly exceptional tequila.
Step 4
Distillation
Now ripe for refinement, the fermented tequila enters the distillation phase. We distill our tequila twice using traditional copper stills that have been part of our legacy for generations. This meticulous process is conducted slowly at low temperatures, ensuring that the rich agave flavors are preserved and any unwanted compounds are naturally removed. This careful distillation ensures every sip captures the true essence of our agave.
Step 5
Aging
At Dano’s, aging is an art. Our aged expressions, including the Reposado and Añejo, rest in 200-liter virgin white oak barrels. Unlike many others, we eschew old whiskey barrels to ensure that every sip offers nothing but the pure, sweet flavors of agave. Our Reposado takes a 9-month rest to achieve its smooth character, while our Añejo spends 18 months maturing into a rich, deep golden amber. This dedicated aging process allows the intricate flavors and aromas to fully develop, ensuring a tequila experience that is as authentic as it is exceptional.
Step 6
Infusion
Crafting exceptional tequila begins with a commitment to authenticity and the purest ingredients. Dano's embodies this philosophy, utilizing only natural, locally sourced fruits—including the often overlooked coffee bean—for our signature infusions.
Our Pineapple Jalapeño infusion harnesses the crisp flavors of perfectly ripe pineapples and fresh jalapeños which are hand cut and deseeded, then infused into our Blanco tequila.
For our Coffee Reposado, we select the finest Arabica coffee beans, roast them to perfection and then infuse them our aged Reposado tequila, which spends nine months maturing in oak barrels. This process enriches the infusion with subtle vanilla tones from the oak, creating a complex flavor profile.
Both infusions are gently filtered to preserve the intense, natural flavors, ensuring that each bottle of Dano's is a testament to our dedication to quality and innovation in the world of tequila.