Clase Azul México Reveals Fourth Master Artisans Edition Honoring Tonalá’s Barro Bruñido Legacy
- camilarosiaz
- 4 hours ago
- 2 min read
Clase Azul México introduces the fourth release in its Master Artisans Collection, a project dedicated to elevating Mexico’s most exceptional craftspeople. The new edition centers on three limited-edition decanters created by Tonalá master Ángel Ortiz, a leading figure in the barro bruñido tradition. Only 100 sets will be available, each containing three one-liter decanters, beginning November 13.
The Master Artisans collection launched in 2021 as a platform for Mexico’s most accomplished creators, previously featuring work by Ángel Santos, Jesús Guerrero Santos, and the team of Fernando Jimón and María Elena López. Each edition blends heritage and innovation, translating traditional craft techniques into contemporary expressions.
Ortiz, who inherited his early training from his grandparents and later refined his skills under renowned ceramicist Jorge Wilmot, has spent decades exploring the artistic potential of barro bruñido. Known for its distinctive luster achieved through the friction of pyrite, the technique is central to Tonalá’s identity. Ortiz’s work often draws from daily life, folklore, and natural landscapes, merging ancestral practice with personal interpretation. His contributions to Mexican craft have earned multiple honors, including the Tonallan National Craft Award and the National Prize for Arts and Sciences in Folk Arts and Traditions.
The three decanters in the collection reinterpret barro bruñido through Ortiz’s signature style, each telling a distinct story:
Jardín tonalteca (Garden in Tonalá)
Earth-toned pigments illustrate a serene natural scene featuring a white-tailed deer, local flora, blue agave, and the classic Tonalá flower. A hammered copper cap with a matte chocolate finish completes the piece.
Coro silvestre (Choir of the Wild)
A vivid composition of birds and dense foliage in deep green, orange, and red, painted with oxides and earth-derived pigments. The decanter is finished with a hammered copper top in matte brass tones.
Paraíso nocturno (Nocturnal Paradise)
Set against a dark matte base, this design reveals a radiant nighttime landscape punctuated by blue and white highlights. A hammered copper cap in matte black crowns the piece.
Tequila Mastery
Each decanter houses a unique tequila crafted by Master Distiller Viridiana Tinoco. Aged in American whiskey barrels and finished in Premier Cru Supérieur Sauternes casks from Bordeaux, the expressions reflect increasing depth and complexity:
Jardín tonalteca (Reposado): Apricot, peach, raisin, toasted almond
Coro silvestre (Añejo): Apricot preserves, walnut, clove, citrus
Paraíso nocturno (Extra Añejo): Dark chocolate, clove, candied walnut, spice
All three employ the slow-drip dilution process, in which water is incorporated gradually for balance and refinement, a technique traditionally used in brandy and cognac.
The set of three decanters (40% ABV; 80 proof) will retail for USD 22,000 before taxes, available at Clase Azul La Terraza Los Cabos in San José del Cabo and at The Loft Brooklyn by invitation.
Clase Azul México, founded in 1997 in Guadalajara by Arturo Lomelí, distributes its spirits in over 100 countries. The brand also supports artisan communities through Fundación Causa Azul, which works to preserve craft heritage and promote cultural sustainability.
Learn more at Clase Azul México.