Penjamo’s Tequila Trail: Exploring the Heart of Tequila Corralejo
Penjamo’s Tequila Trail: Exploring the Heart of Tequila Corralejo
Penjamo Guanajuato offers visitors a unique blend of history, culture, and natural beauty.
With its picturesque streets, colorful architecture, and charming local community, this small town has become a popular destination for travelers seeking an authentic Mexican experience.
But the life of its inhabitants has not been easy because shortly after it was founded, a terrible fire destroyed everything achieved with great effort; reconstruction began in 1830, and in 1857 it was granted the title of town, and years later, the title of City.
Nowadays, Penjamo has beautiful landscapes where you can go on different tours, such as the Golondrina Dam, Las Encineras, Magallanes, or the Sierra.
If you visit Penjamo, you should not miss the opportunity to visit the former Hacienda Corralejo, the birthplace of the father of the independence – Priest Miguel Hidalgo – and adapted to be one of the largest distilleries in the region.
Where is penjamo Guanajuato?
Penjamo is located in the central region of the state, approximately 190 km northwest of Mexico City.
If you want to get to Penjamo, the closest major airport is the Guanajuato International Airport, in the city of Silao, about 100 km east of Penjamo.
From there, you can take a bus or rent a car to get to Penjamo.
If you are already in Mexico and want to travel to Penjamo by bus, there are nice coach services from major cities in the region, such as Guadalajara or Mexico City.
The bus ride from Guadalajara takes approximately 3 hours, while the bus ride from Mexico City takes approximately 4.5 hours.
The Tequila Circuit in Penjamo
As you know, Tequila is the most important drink in the country; it is made with tequilana agave, the blue variety.
Although Tequila is mainly produced in Jalisco, the fertile lands of Guanajuato allow the cultivation of this species, reason why seven municipalities are recognized as Denomination of Origin to cultivate blue agave and produce Tequila:
- Abasolo
- Ciudad Manuel Doblado
- Cuerámaro
- Huanímaro
- Penjamo
- Purísima del Rincón
- Romita
Without a doubt, the most recognized Tequila is the one produced in Penjamo.
The first tequila factory that put Guanajuato on the tequila production radar was the Corralejo tequila factory of national and international prestige.
Visit the Hacienda Corralejo in Penjamo Guanajuato
The Corralejo hacienda has its origin in a land destined for cultivation granted in 1532 by the Spanish crown.
During the 18th century, the hacienda was built and is considered the birthplace of Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla.
In 1996, the hacienda became Tequilera Corralejo, a 100% Mexican company that uses agave from the region with strict quality control processes in the production of Tequila.
Corralejo tequila gained fame, in addition to its flavor, for its blue bottle, which is representative of the tequilera.
In addition to learning about the tequila production process and tastings at the Dolce Vita wine cellar, you can enjoy various regional gastronomic products.
Touring the Hacienda
The Hacienda Corralejo experience begins at the welcome sign.
From the beginning, the aroma of Tequila will flood your nose, and your eyes will be adorned with all the barrels and the hacienda that will captivate every part of you.
In the Hacienda Corralejo facilities, you will find the tequila-producing machinery and a “haunted” well where they say a ghost shows up. It also has some cute stores for you to purchase a souvenir.
The Corralejo Rum Cellar
This space is dedicated to a majestic hat-like cellar unique in its kind, where the Mexican rums El Ron Prohibido 12 and Ron Reserva 22 are matured.
Bodegón de la Dolce Vita
Next to the main entrance is this architectural work of 18 domes that house a Tequila Corralejo aging cellar.
There is also a store with typical regional candies, glass handicrafts, and the sale of Casa Corralejo products.
Hours are Monday through Sunday from 9:00 to 5:00 pm.
Besides being a tequila factory, Hacienda Corralejo is also a center for social events. You can hold your events in one of the cellars or patios, enjoying a menu of Mexican food accompanied by Corralejo Tequila.
Tequilera Real de Penjamo Guanajuato
Also, in Penjamo, a tequila factory has been gaining a privileged place, the tequilera Real de Penjamo; an important part of its production is exported to the United States and Europe.
It also stands out for the handcrafted elaboration of its bottles in high-temperature ceramics of the region; it produces white and aged tequilas.
Tequilera Real de Penjamo has a whole line of ceramic bottles. All of them are unique and unrepeatable since they are handmade by their craftswomen.
You can visit the tequila factory, have a tasting and enjoy an explanation of the tequila production process.
Visit the Tres Joyas Distillery
Located in the El Coyote ranch in the municipality of Penjamo Guanajuato, it produces Tequila in the community of Magallanes in an artisanal way, a process that you can learn about: It has two brands – Tequila Bacabes and Orgullo de Penjamo.
Also, in the municipality of Huanímaro, a young tequila called Tequila Huani is produced; the company was established in 2010, bringing together eighty producer partners, and it is the first collective brand. They offer silver and aged Tequila.
Other things to see in Penjamo Guanajuato
After visiting the Corralejo Hacienda, there are other cool things to see, for example:
- The Temple of San Francisco de Asis
- The Juarez Theater
- Another must-see is the Hidalgo Market, which is more than 115 years old
- By the way, you also have to visit and contemplate the main garden Ana Maria Gallaga
- Visit the downtown, where there are gastronomic and cultural complexes. Also, the Hidalgo Niño Interactive Museum, where you can see how was the childhood of Priest Miguel Hidalgo like
Archaeological Zone of Plazuelas
After strolling through the Historic Center of Penjamo, you must visit the Plazuelas complex. Its location is south of the Sierra de Penjamo.
The Plazuelas are relics of a city built between 600 and 900 AD. There are four pyramids, a ball court, and engraved stones.
There is also a museum with a variety of objects. The hours are from Tuesday to Sunday, from 10 am to 6 pm.
Sierra de Penjamo
The Sierra de Penjamo is one of the biggest attractions. Several ecosystems allow you to do various activities, such as camping, ATV tours, and exploring canyons and rivers.
In fact, several areas are virgin. If you have an adventurous soul, you should visit the Cañón de Murciélagos (bats canyon), where you can practice rappelling, jumping into water pools, swimming, and climbing.
