First pour: Volcan de mi Tierra marble-clad luxury tequila sips like fine sherried whisky… with a twist

Luxury tequila has arrived in Britain, wrapped in Italian marble and steeped in Mexican heritage. Volcan de mi Tierra has launched Colección La Gavilana I, a limited prestige release that combines aged tequila with sculptural craftsmanship. 

Each decanter is carved from Bianco Carrara marble by ARCA’s Mexican master stonemasons, referencing the founding year of Hacienda La Gavilana, where the Gallardo family settled in 1774. Every vessel is hand-finished and engraved with the silhouette of Volcan’s Prestige Collection bottles.

In homage, just 1,774 bottles have been produced, aimed squarely at collectors and connoisseurs.

Gerardo Cortina, founder of ARCA, described the collaboration as an opportunity to transform stone into “an object of ritual, precision and beauty”. 

Volcan de mi Tierra itself occupies an enviable position in the tequila world. The brand was created through a partnership between the Gallardo family and Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton.

The distillery sits at the foot of the Tequila volcano and specialises in additive-free tequila production, combining traditional methods with modern techniques.

Every marble vessel is hand-finished and engraved with the silhouette of Volcan’s Prestige Collection bottles…

Volcan de mi Tierra h Colección La Gavilana I tasting notes

The Luxe Review attended the London launch at Berry Bros. & Rudd, for an exclusive tasting of the new liquid. What’s immediately apparent is how unlike conventional tequila it is. The colour carries a warm sherried hue, while the palate leans intriguingly towards fine Cognac or mature sherried whisky, albeit with an unmistakable earthy agave twist.

The tequila spends more than 18 months ageing in European oak before undergoing an additional 414-day finishing period in sherry casks. That extended maturation gives the spirit unusual depth and richness.

On the nose, there are layers of ripe fruit, dark chocolate and spice. The palate opens sweet and rounded, before agave brightness and oak spice emerge. The finish is long, warming and rustic.

Volcan de mi Tierra raises the tequila bar

During an exclusive interview, Santiago Cortina Gallardo, CEO and Co-Founder of Volcan de mi Tierra, described the project as an expression of long-term luxury rather than simple extravagance. He stressed the importance of authenticity, craftsmanship and patience in tequila production, while highlighting the UK as one of the category’s most important growth markets.

“In EMEA, the largest tequila market is the UK, and it’s the most evolved in terms of knowledge,” he said. “Mexican culture has become so cool! I think the (James Bond) film Spectre sold the whole concept worldwide – even if there is no Día de los Muertos festival in Mexico City!”  

Speaking on the concept of luxury, Gallardo emphasised that it should be tied to quality rather than just marketing. He points out that the brand’s Blanco tequila, voted Best in Class Blanco Tequila 2025, at San Francisco World Spirits Competition, is priced below £50 – “it’s accessible yet luxurious.”

Gallardo also discussed the way Volcan blends terroirs and maturation styles to achieve complexity. That philosophy is particularly evident here. Colección La Gavilana I is the distillery’s first Añejo expression, crafted entirely from Lowlands Blue Weber agave under the direction of Maestro Tequilero Marcelino Lücke.

Colección La Gavilana I joins Volcan de mi Tierra’s lauded core range, comprising Blanco, Reposado, Cristalino, Blanco Tahona and X.A (Xtra Assemblage).

It’s available now in limited quantities through selected luxury retailers in the UK, including Berry Bros & Rudd, priced at £2,300.