You have to do this! Other tours fail in comparison. From start to finish, this tour does it all. Do yourself a favor and splurge on the first class ticket. Not only will you get to taste every bottle on hand, but they'll mix you cocktails, keep your drink refilled with your favorites, and surprise you with tastes you've never thought you'd enjoy. From start to finish, this was incredible. On the train, you'll meet people from all over the world, see the beautiful countryside, and learn everything about the fruitful agave. Upon entry, you'll get a guided tour, learn about the process, and take in the beauty of Jalisco. Don't even get me started about the food. So tasty! If that wasn't enough, there's a guy there that will engrave your bottles within seconds. Incredible souvenirs to take home. I would do this again in a second! Viva Jalisco! Viva Herradura! read more

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Fun day on the slow train to tequilaville. Check schedules and book a seat since this fills up.

If you're the type of person who plans travel around food and drink, I strongly suggest a visit to Guadalajara and its surrounding areas for a tequila adventure! Tequila fan or not - and you WILL be a fan after this tour, tasting and education. ...And Casa Herradura in the town of Amatitán should top your destination list. As most tourists fly to and stay in the city of Guadalajara, they prefer to take the Tequila Express (a train!) into the valley of Amatitán for the Herradura experience. My group of 13 friends, however, were already staying in the town of Tequila 15 minutes away, so Herradura kindly shuttled us from our hotel to the Herradura Hacienda. For a 9:30am pickup, it was our own version of a "Tequila Sunrise." What we thought would be a three hour tour turned into six simply because our fascination lead to endless questions. And I'm definitely not complaining. We were lucky enough to get the special treatment, as my Herradura contact in Houston kindly set up this once-in-a-lifetime experience with Master Taster and Tequila Global Ambassador Ruben Aceves. Upon arrival, we were greeted by Ruben, who gave us a brief introduction into Casa Herradura's lengthy 150 year old history, which all takes place inside the continuously operating 400-year-old Hacienda San José del Refugio. What makes them uniquely special is what I just mentioned: It's the only *continuously* operating tequila hacienda. What makes an hacienda a TRUE hacienda, you ask? Much like a small town of its own... :: The hacienda has barrier walls all around it. :: The hacienda is completely sustainable - with its own livestock, flora, etc. :: The hacienda has a dedicated living space for the hacienda owner and his family. :: The hacienda houses workers. :: The hacienda must have a church. This particular hacienda has a beautiful and historically significant Catholic church, dating back to a time when churches were hidden or destroyed during the Cristero War. Our special tour took us through the family's actual hacienda home, refurbished in 1820 by a priest. I felt as though I stepped back in time - that or I was on the set of (insert your favorite Mexican telenovela here). The center courtyard, the fountain, the grand rooms - it was a unique experience I can't truly describe. The tour also lead us past Mexico's second largest private library set before a 200-year-old Amita tree; it's rumored that if you hug the tree, you absorb some of it's energy and good luck. I def did that. Onto the actual distilleries, we went. Where all the magic happens. From watching an actual jimador shave agave plants into piñas, the steaming of the blue agave plants, tasting the fresh agave juice - THE BEST agave juice we tasted in comparison to other distilleries - and then checking out the massive tanks where the agave begins to ferment. The 22 thousand acres of land maintaining 22 million blue Weber agaves and fruit trees of all varieties is its own ecosystem. And the yeast in the fermenting tanks carried through the air keep bugs away. We didn't see a single fly or mosquito, as the light smell of yeast in the air keeps them away. It's like science and magic. One thing that you'll love not only about the brand, but the tour, is that out of all of the tequilas made, Casa Herradura is the only one operating in its original location. And during your tour, you'll actually get to see the original 1870 factory that functioned until 1910. It's stunning, I must add. From checking out the barrel tasting room to visiting Cuco, the 15-year-old burro that lives on the land, there was much to see and do. Know that WHEN you do your general tour, prepare to bring some lunch to enjoy along the way. And know that there are a few onsite stores where you can buy their tequilas - both Herradura and El Jimador brands - for a far better rate than you pay at the airport. So pack your bags light so you can put three bottles in your checked luggage. Big thanks to the Brown-Forman and Herradura staff, as well as Ruben Aceves. He made lifers out of our group, and we look forward to attending some of the Herradura tequila dinners hosted at Houston restaurants! Tequila Express website: http://tequilaexpress.mx/ Note for shoppers: :: The Gran Imperio Tequila, available in the States is about $350. At the duty free shop at the airport was about $250. We got it for about $100 USD at their Herradura gift shop! :: You gotta try their El Jimador New Mix canned drinks. About $1 USD at their gift shop. I can't wait for this beverage to hit the US market. read more

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By far my favorite train experience ever. We purchased the higher end ticket which included our very own Mixologist....yes please! The drinks were amazing. The tour was interesting and had lots of fun with our guide. You do walk a ton so take comfy shoes. The ticket came with dinner in the hacienda with live entertainment. Everything was amazing. Train picks you up and drops you off so it was conveniently safe to drink. The top ticket is more expensive but worth it I think. Tickets were purchased online at the Herradura website. If you have problems try emailing or calling they answered my question via phone and email. read more

Do you like tequila? Do you like Herradura? Are you in Mexico? Take this tour!!! Not only are you treated like VIP on the Herradura Train with all the tequila samples that you need...could ever want and can stuff in your cheeks, you have a leisurely train ride on the beautiful countryside of Mexico en route to Casa Herradura! *NOTE: Yes, Herradura Tequila makes me very happy. So, we were actually just visiting Mexico City for the weekend, however when I found out that this was possible, we booked our tickets immediately and set off for a short flight to Guadalajara to join the awesomeness that is the Herradura train. The train was completely booked with other great people who loved tequila. When we boarded the train, we were greeted by wonderful people and the best tequila, EVER! We purchased First Class tickets which came with food and tastings on the train and a different lunch menu at the venue. The tour was great! I learned so much about tequila and specifically about Herradura. I think over the day, I drank a small fortune in Herradura...but I think thats required on this tour. :) Knowing that every bottle of Herradura in the world comes from this place made me feel like I was standing on sacred grounds. From watching how agave is harvested, how it's cooked, distilled, bottled...whew! Such a great tour and such beautiful grounds. I seriously want to live here amongst all of this deliciousness. Where do I sign up?!?! I wasn't impressed with the lunch, but the entertainment and tequila pairings made it bearable. Also, PURCHASE TEQUILA HERE!!! It's much cheaper than duty free and much, much cheaper than it is in the good ol USA. You'll thank me later...heck, look at the pictures and thank me now! Cheers! read more

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Great experience all around. From the moment you start your trip towards this place, during the tour itself, and the trip returning is awesome. The hacienda located about one hour Northwest of Guadalajara. You pass small towns, mountains, and large fields of Blue Agave that paint the landscape an bluegreen hue for miles. A lot to see and to take in. Once you arrive you are transported into a time capsule of tradition and feel. You'll see where the original family's personal home stands and still is in use today, the workers' old housings, tour the old distillery that is no longer is serves, and it is all laid out in a cobble stone paths. These structures are all kept very well. Fresh paint and no visible deterioration so you feel these old traditional buildings were just built. The tour covers the entire process of making Tequila, from harvesting, cooking the agave, fermentation, distilling, aging, and bottling. The best part is sampling!!! Depending on the tour you pay for determines if you sample the top shelve or the okay Tequilas. There at two gift shops where you can buy shirts, hats, and bottles of Tequila. On your trip back you can stop by the small towns for lunch. There is a lot of food stands on the side of the road. Uber, taxi, or train can get you here and back. read more

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Quite possibly the best tour I've ever been on. I don't remember another tour being so informative and inclusive ever! The tour starts with a Train ride into the town; then a bus ride to the casa. Once there, the tour starts. It's possibly the most amazing tour ever. They take you through the history and the entire process of tequila making, abs ended the tour with a great dinner and music and dancers...oh and more tequila. If you're ever in the mood something new, this is it. read more

I had a fabulous time in the Herradura Tequila Express, which took us all the way to Casa Herradura! I did the VIP Club Car experience, so I was definitely living large! The cocktails were all unique and tasty. Just wish they had more booze in them. But luckily you could get extra shots to add it in. The tour itself was amazing and learned, so much about the process of making Tequila! Then the entertainment with the Mariachi and Folkloric Dancers was the perfect touch. All the music happened while I ate a wonderful 3 course meal with lasagna, steak, and cheesecake! Definitely an amazing experience! read more

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Such an awesome experience! You get to learn so much & taste tequila! Wear walking shoes and carry water. Salud. read more

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I came here to celebrate my anniversary and everyone was so friendly and attentive. The tour was very informative and the dinner and show was the best. I really enjoyed how they introduced different types of Mexican dance. read more

Fantastic tour! It is both in English and Spanish. I booked a tour for $450 MXP, and I was picked up at my hostel, spend about 90 mins for the tour (and then the tour would drop us off at City of Tequila for two hour free time before heading home), the tasting is a big disappointing since I only got one sip. If you want to book your own tour here, it is 150 MXP Few things learned a tour at Casa Herradura 1) Tequila Herradura founded in 1870 by Félix López, the operation was sold to the Brown-Forman in 2007. If you are not familiar with Brown-Froman, they also own Jack Daniel's 2) The term estate or Hacienda, what does it take to be categorized as Hacienda in Tequila, Mexico? There are 5 requirements: 1) The size of the estate 2) Agave must be grown on the estate 3) Housing within the estate for employees 4) Owner must reside on the estate 5) A chapel must be provided to everyone 3) Even though the Lopez family sold the business, but they kept the employee housing, owner's house and chapel as private property, so no tour on those property 4) Blue Agave or Agave azul, it is the main ingredient of Tequila. It take 7 years to grow the Blue Agave, then the Jimador, the type of Mexican farmer who harvests agave plants, will harvest the agave plant. 5) El Jimador is also the name of the Herradura's flagship Tequila 6) Each agave plant can produce 5 to 10 bottles of Tequila 7) It take about a week to distill Tequila, which is clear. Aged Tequila in white oak barrel are called Reposado (2 Month) or Anejo (1 year) 8) Cheap Tequila are added with sugar which will cause hangover, 100% agave Tequila uses natural sugar from the plant, and that's why it doesn't cause nasty hangover 9) During the 1920's Church Prosecution by the Mexican government, the owner of the Herradura protected the Catholic priests on their property read more

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Herradura Express Club Car   I went on the Herradura Express with my friend, brother & sister-in-law. We had a blast! We chose the Club Car, which included free drinks, snacks, lunch and entertainment.   Train Station: We got to the terminal, got in line for our wristbands, which was fairly quick. Shortly after we went through security. It was easy, they just need to look in your bag/purses. Then we lined up next the train car we were going to be in.   The train on the way there: My group was in the Club Car. We picked the seating area with couches. There were also stools at the bar & tables with stools. Right away the servers passed out muffins as a snack. About 20 min into the ride the servers started passing out drinks. The first drink was a yogurt tequila durink, meant to coat your stomach (for the day of drinking). My friend is lactose intolerant so she let the server know, and they made her a different drink. They second drink was a horchata drink (rice milk drink). I am not big on sweet drinks & again my friend is lactose intolerant, so we asked the server if we could have tequila neat. He asked what type we wanted and brought us tequila neat. I love tequila and can be a little picky. The server asked if we liked the Anejo tequila we had, and we told him it was "OK" so he suggested the Selección...which was really good. For the rest of the ride our server would check to see if we wanted the specialty drinks or Selección.   Arrival: We arrived to the station where there were buses waiting to take us to the hacienda. The bus ride was fairly quick, less than 10 min. Normally you would have the same tour guide on the train as the tour, but they place my group with the English-speaking guide.   The Hacienda Herradura/ Distillery Tour: Our guide was great she explained things very well. We saw the way tequila was made before current technology & the way it is made today. It is important to know the tour is on foot and you will be walking the whole time. It's not strenuous for the average person, but may be more difficult for an older person or someone with disabilities. There were 2 older ladies on the train with us who walked with canes, they had their tour on a golf cart. I believe it was arranged in advance. The ground is cobble stone, so bring comfy shoes. Don't wear heels.   Lunch: Although we were sat at the "English speakers" table, I was happy to see that we had the same servers from the train. When taking the drink orders, he immediately knew what we wanted. Lunch consisted of 3 courses. The first course was pepper stuffed with ground beef, with a white sauce, the second course was steak with mole sauce and potatoes, the third course was dessert (coffee panna cotta, tres leches cake or cheesecake with berries).   My group does not eat meat, we let the server know. Our first course was a salad with berries. Second course was pasta with tomato sauce. My friend also hads a life or death allergy to gluten. We told the server and he asked her what she wanted as a second course. She told him potatoes. He brought her potatoes and nopales (cactus). The third course dessert was the same. Although is was great that they had vegetarian options, we were all still a little hungry. None the less enjoyed the entertainment of the mariachi & folklorico dancers. During lunch the drinks continued to flow.   Departure from the Hacienda: We found our bus and guide & got back on the busses back to the train. We did make sure to sit up front in the bus, so that we could get the same seating area on the train.   The train on the way back: As soon as we got on the train to head back, there were bowls of potato chips & sliced veggies to snack on. My friend was still hungry, so she asked the server if he could bring her own bowl of chips....unfortunately there were no more potato chips so he brought her popcorn. We chilled and watched the music videos and chatted. They guide played some games with some of the passengers, which was voluntary. At this point the drinks are still flowing. Our server continues to bring us the selección tequila, that we have been drinking the whole tour. About halfway through the ride back the photographer walks around to the passengers to show you the photos she took. They were only 70 pesos each (around $3.50-$4 each). After returning to the train station we just requested an Uber, but there were cab drivers waiting.   My thoughts: This tour was GREAT! I would definitely recommend it. It was worth the $$, we drank our money's worth in tequila. Do not come to Guadalajara without going on the Herradura Express. read more

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We toured the distillery in August and received incredible insight into the uniqueness behind Herradura tequila. The "fabrica" is beautiful and expansive, but maintains its history and authentic production methods despite having scaled up to meet unprecedented demand. We hacked on an agave plant and learned about the natural fermentation process which occurs unaided by anything more than the local ecology. I highly recommend the distillery as well as the tequila. No other tequila achieves the same quality product at the scale that Herradura operates. There's a reason it is such a popular brand. Salud!! read more

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Best tequila del mundo herradura ... ! Great tour and great tequila . En Amatitan the birth place of tequila .

Great tour! I originally planned on taking the Jose Cuervo express tour, but didn't feel like paying $100 USD, and was busy that day (they only do Saturdays). The Casa Herradura tour was amazing! I took a bus in from GDL ($5 USD) and walked a few minutes down the road from the stop to the distillery. The next tour was in an hour, but they moved it up a half hour because I was the only one there, as I came in the off season. My ticket was $12 USD. The tour was so so so great. My guide was excellent and spoke English very well. The sampling was very nice and the room just opened a few days ago--I was the second person to do a tasting in the room. Highly recommended. Side note-when I went there the family who owns the house on the property was visiting for holiday, which was cool. read more

Our tour of the Herradura tequila distillery was a definite highlight during our recent trip to Tequila, Mexico. We learned much about the process of making tequila, with special hands-on experiences like cutting harvested agave like a true jimador, a tasting tour through the open-air fermenters, and some quality time with Cuco the donkey, conveniently saddled with a barrel of tequila for sampling. Ruben, our gracious host, was very knowledgeable about tequila and the Herradura brand and his passion for the artistry of tequila was evident and contagious. I left with a new appreciation of the care and thought that goes into tequila production, even at a large scale operation like Herradura. read more