What Is A Tahona? The Stone Wheel Behind Dobel Tequila’s Latest Innovation
Among the oldest methods in tequila production, the tahona process is practiced by only a small fraction of producers today. A heavy volcanic stone wheel is rolled slowly through a circular pit, crushing cooked agave until the liquid and fiber are extracted and ready to ferment. Dobel Tahona Blanco, our latest innovation, returns to the stone wheel method our founder's family used generations before, using only 100% organic blue weber agave grown in the volcanic valley of Tequila, Jalisco. The method fuses centuries of family tradition and heritage process with contemporary tequila-making techniques for a quality-driven approach.
What Is A Tahona?
The word "tahona" comes from the Spanish, tracing back to the Arabic ṭāḥūna, meaning "mill." In tequila production, it refers to a large volcanic stone wheel rolled in a circular pit to slowly crush the cooked agave hearts, called piñas for their resemblance to a pineapple.
These stone wheels typically weigh around two tons and were historically drawn by horses, oxen, or donkeys, although modern distilleries use motorized tahonas. As the wheel rolls slowly through the pit, it crushes the cooked piñas while keeping the fibrous pulp, called bagasse, fully intact. That intact bagasse is what makes the process distinct: left in the mix, it ferments alongside the juice, and that natural fermentation is a key part of what gives the tequila its complexity, minerality, and delicate sweetness.
Creating Dobel Tahona Blanco: A 100% Organic Tequila
Dobel Tahona Tequila Blanco features only three ingredients: 100% organic agave, water, and yeast, with nothing added.
Dobel Tahona Blanco is a homage to the tahona method Juan Dobel's family practiced generations before modern tequila production existed. It begins with certified organic blue weber agave, grown on a family-owned estate in the volcanic valley of Tequila, Jalisco. Cultivated without synthetic pesticides or fertilizers, the agaves are harvested at peak ripeness, when natural sugar concentration is at its highest, which takes at least six years.
After harvest, the cogollo, or agave heart, is removed, leaving behind the vegetal notes that shape the tequila's unique flavor profile. The piñas are then slow-cooked for 48 hours in masonry ovens, building a deep sweetness and caramelized agave richness, before moving to the tahona pit, where the volcanic stone wheel crushes the cooked agave to extract the liquid slowly and gently, preserving earthy, complex flavors. The juice and bagasse then ferment together for six to seven days in wood-lined, open-air vats, using wild ambient yeast native to the estate to develop the tequila's full character.
After fermentation, the liquid is double-distilled in small copper pot stills, a process that refines without erasing the complexity built up through the stone crushing and slow fermentation, then bottled unaged at 40.5% ABV. The result is an elegant blanco tequila with a distinctive profile of sweet agave, pepper, and green apple, layered with earthy minerality and a long, velvety finish.
All profits from Dobel Tahona Blanco support community and education programs through the Beckmann Foundation, giving back to the community of Tequila, Jalisco, home to the families and artisans who have made Dobel Tequila possible for generations.
How To Drink Dobel Tahona Blanco
The minerality and herbal tones of Dobel Tahona Blanco shines in cocktails that place the tequila front and center. Three worth trying are:
The Zorro Martini is Dobel's take on a dirty tequila martini: 2 oz Dobel Tahona Blanco shaken ice cold with 1 oz olive brine, strained over fresh ice in a rocks glass, and finished with freshly cracked black pepper and three olives.
The Cucumber Gimletini pairs the white pepper and lemongrass notes in Dobel Tahona Blanco with fresh cucumber. The result is bright and clean, complimenting the earthy depth the tahona process builds in.
The Tahona Negroni pairs the rich, earthy character of Dobel Tahona Blanco with the Negroni's bittersweet structure. The vegetal complexity of Dobel Tahona Blanco holds its own in this classic gin cocktail.
