Clase Azul Debuts Día de Muertos Música Tequila, the Penultimate Day of the Dead Series Decanter
Today, Clase Azul debuts Tequila Día de Muertos Edición Limitada Música, the penultimate decanter in its five-year limited edition Nuestros Recuerdos series, in celebration of Día de Los Muertos.
This year’s release, Música, is an ode to the soothing cadence of Día de Los Muertos (Day of the Dead) melodies. The plum decanter (of which only 10,000 exist) holds an añejo tequila that’s aged for a combined 26 months in American and Scotch whiskey casks.
“For this edition, I wanted to reinterpret music into sensory chords that evoke nostalgia, seeking to achieve these notes and different nuances through the barrels,” master distiller Viridiana Tinoco tells Observer. To achieve this, Tinoco first aged the tequila in American whiskey casks before a secondary aging process where the liquid was divided between barrels from two regions in Scotland—one from Speyside, known for imparting fragrant, fruity notes with a hint of smoky character and peat; and the other barrel from the Skye region, which is characterized for more intense peaty and smoky aromas. The components were recombined, then bottled to create the final liquid.
The Scotch barrels are intended to mimic the taste and smells that accompany the sounds and strums of Día de Los Muertos, for an all-encompassing experience that’s greater than the liquid itself. “On the one hand, [there are] aromas that remind us of incense and candles, and on the other, those delicate sweet notes that are part of the offerings,” explains Tinoco.
Inspired by the Mexican holiday—traditionally celebrated on November 1 and November 2—when the living celebrate the souls of their ancestors and loved ones, Clase Azul released the first Nuestros Recuerdos bottle in 2021, as a way to explore the symbolism surrounding Día de Muertos.
“We fell in love with what makes this celebration unique: honoring the life and death of our loved ones through the flavors they enjoyed in life, the aromas that accompanied them, the vibrant colors that are very traditional and the music that accompanies it,” Jonathan González, vice director of product design at Clase Azul, tells Observer.
The Spanish phrase “nuestros recuerdos” translates to “our memories,” which are a significant part of the culture of the holiday and something Clase Azul wanted to incorporate into the limited time series—particularly the elements that surround the altars, where the living make their offerings in honor of their deceased loved ones.
“This includes photographs of our loved ones, the food and drinks they enjoyed, marigold flowers, sugar skulls, colorful papel picado and the music also form an important part of the celebration,” Tinoco, who used these offerings as inspiration for the five-decanter series, says. In 2021, the first Clase Azul Tequila Día de Muertos Edición Limitada Sabores paid tribute to the flavors of the holiday, followed by Colores (colors) in 2022 and Aromas in 2023.
The ornate details of the Música decanter connect the consumer even further to the homage of melody with a scene depicted by Mexican illustrator David Espinosa, known as “el Dee,” representing an eclectic musical ensemble. “The members in golden tones at the front of this group are ‘the living’ wearing allegorical masks,” explains González. “In the back, in lilac tones with a skeletal appearance, are the dead, who join the parade to celebrate Día de Muertos, marching to the sound of their trumpets, drums, tambourines and bandolones.”
Since launching the first installment of Nuestros Recuerdos, a beloved feature of the collection is an ornament that accompanies Clase Azul’s signature emblem. This edition’s handcrafted ornament, as always designed by Jaliscan artisans, is a female skeletal accordion player named Catrina, finished in 24-karat gold. It was a token inspired by Tinoco’s own musical nostalgia. “The accordion is very present in Mexican folk music. My grandfather, with whom I have many fond memories, used to listen to it, so hearing it again transports me back to those moments we shared.”
For the first time, the ornament is interactive as Catrina’s limbs, comprising 40 individual parts, are free-flowing to evoke both the movement of playing the instrument and dancing along to its tune. “Each year, we seek to innovate so that our collectors have an iconic and unique piece in their hands,” González says. “This year, with the focus of the bottle being music, we wanted to work with the artisans’ expertise to create an ornament that alludes to music, resulting in a more fun and jovial limited edition.” The one-and-a-half week creation of every ornament contributes to the 18-month creative and development process for each limited edition. “So, right now, we already have the 2025 edition,” teased González.
As the series finale is on the horizon, Tinoco ensured that there will be more innovation in the future, as the entire process of Nuestros Recuerdos has been a learning opportunity. “The past editions have taught us many things along the way; we have rethought the way we work and direct our efforts—from the distilleries, the spirits and the necessary ingredients—so that we can approach future editions from experience,” explains Tinoco.
“Looking ahead, these original proposals have led us to think outside the box and innovate through different glazes, materials in the bottle, barrels, toasting, oaks and aromas inspired by a story to tell, where the common thread is expressed in quality, differentiation and the exceptional,” she shares, implying that Clase Azul will continue to tell a story and present a product that’s so much more than just the liquid—and more a symbol of culture.
Clase Azul Tequila Día de Muertos Edición Limitada Música is available as a 1-liter decanter at 40 percent ABV for $1,500.