Día de Muertos Comes Alive With the Aromas of Mexico at Clase Azul’s La Terraza Los Cabos
Día de Muertos, or “Day of the Dead,” is one of the most important holidays in the Mexican calendar—a two-day reunion of the living and the departed featuring parades, marigold flowers, and offerings of food and drink meant to appeal to the souls of loved ones. Aromas of classic Mexican cuisine and fresh produce permeate villages and towns throughout the country during Día de Muertos. Clase Azul Mexico, the luxury house famed for both its hospitality and its legendary tequila, is bringing that experience to the acclaimed Restaurant at Clase Azul La Terraza, the brand’s multisensory brand home in Los Cabos. Its Día de Muertos limited-edition tasting menu, available starting October 20, is a five-course feast paired with a new Clase Azul tequila expression, the Día de Muertos Edición Limitada Aromas.
Clase Azul Mexico’s Creative Chef Ivan Arias designed the tasting menu to bring guests on a journey through seminal Mexican flavors and aromas combined with a modern culinary style. All of it is inspired by, and designed to pair with, the Edición Limitada Aromas tequila; a two-ounce pour of the new expression is included as part of the meal. It’s the third in the ongoing series of Clase Azul’s Nuestro Recuerdos series of tequilas, created to evoke different culturally-rich aspects of Día de Muertos.
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This Limited Edition recalls the distinctive scents of the bustling marketplaces and fragrant ofrendas (offerings) placed on altars throughout the country during Día de Muertos. The a?ejo tequila has been aged for 25 months, first in ex-bourbon casks and then in French Armagnac casks. “Armagnac is a product that aligns with the values of Clase Azul Mexico,” says Viridiana Tinoco, Clase Azul’s master distiller. “Its small-scale production reflects the history and heritage of the region where it’s produced and ensures the transmission of ancestral knowledge and traditions.” On the nose, fragrances of peach, pear, raisin, candied walnut, toasted wood, and clove come to the fore, while the palate features flavors of peach, walnut, clove, and cacao. The long, sumptuous finish is redolent of cacao and cinnamon.
Tradition Meets Innovation in Five Courses
The tasting menu is an intriguing and diverse collection of Mexican flavors mixed with continental and Asian influences. The spicy Black Aguachile, for instance, features estuary shrimp ceviche-style with chargrilled kimchi and lemon ponzu, while the Duck Birria features duck terrine with an ancho chile birria (stew), black bean puree, and a basil salad. The Apple & Brie Tamal features maize provided by Ezequiel Cárdenas from La Casa del Maíz, an agroecological project in the state of Jalisco which has, says Arias, “inspired us with their love for the earth.” The innovative dessert includes apple compote, brie ice cream, honey gel, and lavender essence. Apples—a staple grown in several Mexican states—are also featured in the Apple & Cashew Bonbon, a rich and delectable morsel sporting apple cider, cashew praline, and lavender gel enrobed in semisweet chocolate.
A Unique Decanter for a Unique Tequila
With only 3,500 1-liter decanters available at a retail price of $1,450 each, the tasting menu ($250 per person), which features a generous two-ounce pour along with the five food courses, is an ideal way to taste the tequila. Those who choose to purchase a full bottle will get a decanter as noteworthy as the liquid. The marigold, or cempasúchil, is known as the flor de muerto (flower of the dead) and plays an important part in Día de Muertos celebrations. It’s seen in the marigold glaze that coats the decanter, as well as a dreamlike illustration by Mexican artist Jimena Estíbaliz, depicting a harvest of cempasúchil flowers of fantastical proportions growing from the ground and falling from the sky. A 24-karat-gold-plated ornament with a fine patina finish, made by hand by Mexican artisans from the Milagros de Laton workshop, provides the finishing touch for this one-of-a-kind vessel.
Clase Azul Tequila Día de Muertos Edición Limitada Aromas will be available starting October 20 at Clase Azul La Terraza Los Cabos, as well as the Clase Azul Boutique at Los Cabos Airport in San José del Cabo. The five-course pairing menu will debut the same day exclusively at the Restaurant at Clase Azul La Terraza Los Cabos, located at The Shoppes at Palmilla in San José del Cabo, and will be available by reservation as well as for walk-ins. Both the tequila and the tasting menu will be available while supplies last, which, given the pedigree of the tequila and the food, won’t be very long.
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