Amatitan
Encyclopedia
Amatitán is the head of a municipality in the Mexican state of Jalisco
, and is home to one of the world's largest tequila
distilleries.
Located 35 km north of Mexico's second-largest city, Guadalajara
, Amatitán is believed by many to be the birthplace of tequila. It is the location of “La Hacienda de San José del Refugio”, a distillery which makes “Tequila Herradura” and “Tequila Jimador” and is the main source of employment for the residents of the town and surrounding communities.
The Town of Amatitan is the administrative center for the "Municipio
de Amatitan" which also includes the surrounding communities of Santiaguito, Villa de Cuerambaro, Chome, La Mata, La Conchilla, El Amarrilo, Agua Fria, Santa Rosa and several other smaller settlements.
Amatitan can be visited from Guadalajara by taking the Tequila Express
, a train which runs on Saturdays from Guadalajara to Amatitan, there tourists are offered tours of the local distilleries and the nearby city of Tequila
, located 14 kilometres (8.7 mi) north of Amatitan, (tickets are 850 pesos, available through the local Chamber of Commerce and TicketMaster locations). Amatitan can also be reached from Guadalajara by car driving north on Mexican Federal Highway 15
, it is a drive of about 45 minutes and the road is kept in fairly good shape
The economy of the municipality of Amatitan, like that of the surrounding areas relies heavily in the production of tequila beverage, its agriculture is dominated by the cultivation of the agave plant, which is used to produce the tequila. The climate in Amatitan is hot and dry which suits well the agave plant. There is usually one rainy period during the year that lasts from June through September, it is this time when most of the residents grow their other dominant crop, corn, which requires significantly more water. There is virtually no artificial irrigation in the area and most farmers still depend on rainwater for the irrigation of their fields. Some residents also raise cattle and other livestock, mainly for regional consumption. The lifestyle of its inhabitants is mostly of a rural nature and the residents are mostly Catholic, some commute daily or weekly to Guadalajara for employment. The area is also a good source of immigrants to the United States, most of them settle in California.
Jalisco
Jalisco officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Jalisco is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is located in Western Mexico and divided in 125 municipalities and its capital city is Guadalajara.It is one of the more important states...
, and is home to one of the world's largest tequila
Tequila
Tequila is a spirit made from the blue agave plant, primarily in the area surrounding the city of Tequila, northwest of Guadalajara, and in the highlands of the western Mexican state of Jalisco....
distilleries.
Located 35 km north of Mexico's second-largest city, Guadalajara
Guadalajara, Jalisco
Guadalajara is the capital of the Mexican state of Jalisco, and the seat of the municipality of Guadalajara. The city is located in the central region of Jalisco in the western-pacific area of Mexico. With a population of 1,564,514 it is Mexico's second most populous municipality...
, Amatitán is believed by many to be the birthplace of tequila. It is the location of “La Hacienda de San José del Refugio”, a distillery which makes “Tequila Herradura” and “Tequila Jimador” and is the main source of employment for the residents of the town and surrounding communities.
The Town of Amatitan is the administrative center for the "Municipio
Municipio
Municipio and Município are terms used for country subdivisions. They are often translated as municipality.-Overview:...
de Amatitan" which also includes the surrounding communities of Santiaguito, Villa de Cuerambaro, Chome, La Mata, La Conchilla, El Amarrilo, Agua Fria, Santa Rosa and several other smaller settlements.
Amatitan can be visited from Guadalajara by taking the Tequila Express
Tequila Express
The Tequila Express is a Mexican regional train service that operates from Guadalajara, Jalisco, to the Tequila Herradura distillery at the San José del Refugio Hacienda in the municipality of Amatitán, Jalisco. Amatitán is approximately northwest of Guadalajara and southeast of the town of...
, a train which runs on Saturdays from Guadalajara to Amatitan, there tourists are offered tours of the local distilleries and the nearby city of Tequila
Tequila, Jalisco
Santiago de Tequila is a town and municipality located in the state of Jalisco about 60 km from the city of Guadalajara. Tequila is best known as being the birthplace of the drink that bears its name, “tequila,” which is made from the blue agave plant, native to this area. The heart of the...
, located 14 kilometres (8.7 mi) north of Amatitan, (tickets are 850 pesos, available through the local Chamber of Commerce and TicketMaster locations). Amatitan can also be reached from Guadalajara by car driving north on Mexican Federal Highway 15
Mexican Federal Highway 15
Federal Highway 15 is a primary north-south highway in Mexico. The highway begins in the north at the United States-Mexico border at the Mariposa Port of Entry in Nogales, Sonora, and terminates to the south in Mexico City...
, it is a drive of about 45 minutes and the road is kept in fairly good shape
The economy of the municipality of Amatitan, like that of the surrounding areas relies heavily in the production of tequila beverage, its agriculture is dominated by the cultivation of the agave plant, which is used to produce the tequila. The climate in Amatitan is hot and dry which suits well the agave plant. There is usually one rainy period during the year that lasts from June through September, it is this time when most of the residents grow their other dominant crop, corn, which requires significantly more water. There is virtually no artificial irrigation in the area and most farmers still depend on rainwater for the irrigation of their fields. Some residents also raise cattle and other livestock, mainly for regional consumption. The lifestyle of its inhabitants is mostly of a rural nature and the residents are mostly Catholic, some commute daily or weekly to Guadalajara for employment. The area is also a good source of immigrants to the United States, most of them settle in California.