A team of top salespeople and managers from Hartley & Parker Limited, Inc., visited the Espolòn Tequila distillery on March 23. The tequila, from within the Campari America portfolio, is produced by Casa San Nicolas in the Los Altos region of Jalisco, Mexico. The group traveled with Campari America’s Connecticut State Manager Gary Dritschler to experience the tequila production firsthand. The trip, originally planned for early 2020, included a visit to working agave fields, as well as the distillery, which is under a large expansion. Master Distiller Jesus Susunaga led the tour and concluded with a tasting of all the distillery’s offerings, including a new brand hitting the market this summer. The brand was founded in 1998 by Master Tequilero Cirilo Oropeza, who passed away in 2020. Espolòn Blanco, Reposado and Añejo tequila, each 40% ABV, are handcrafted with single-sourced 100% pure Blue Weber agave.
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- All with Hartley & Parker, except where indicated: Field Contractor, Espolòn Tequila; Victor Hernandez, Camparista, Espolòn Tequila; Master Distiller Jesus Susunaga, Espolòn Tequila; Ed DeLoreto, Paul Jaronko, Jeff Cryder, Ralph Baldelli, Denise Bottone, Stefan Wich, Jason Kelley and Gary Dritschler, State Manager – CT, Campari America at Casa San Nicolas, makers of Espolòn Tequila, in the agave fields.
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- The team dons safety gear for a tour of distillery operations.
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- Master Distiller Jesus Susunaga educates the team during their tour.
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- Master Distiller Jesus Susunaga leads a tasting. Shown are Hartley & Parker’s Denise Bottone, Jeff Cryder and Stefan Wich.
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- Hartley & Parker’s Ed DeLoreto, Paul Jaronko and Jason Kelley during the tasting session.
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- The team poses with a colorful mural depicting Mayahuel, the Aztec goddess of agave.
