9. Jalisco, Mexico: Hacienda Herradura Tequila
To qualify as a hacienda, a property must be a self-sufficient estate, with fortress walls, owner and employee housing, a chapel, and a legitimate business model. The 120-acre Hacienda Herradura meets those criteria and distills one of the more distinctive tequilas on the market, using 100 percent pure agave. "There's an airborne wild yeast here from all the old wild citrus trees, and that's needed to ferment the agave juice," explains Herradura International Brand Development Director Ruben Aceves. "That makes our flavor profile special." A visit to the hacienda is like a retreat to Old Mexico—cobblestone streets, 200-year-old amatitam trees, working stables, and a decidedly relaxed pace of life. The distillery is not contained by four walls; it's spread out over the estate. The walking tour takes an hour and 45 minutes—almost like a walking tour through a small town.
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