El Tesoro de Don Felipe Tequila announced a new Master Distiller and CEO in Jenny Camarena, formerly the Master of Operations and third generation tequila maker in the Camarena family lineage. 

Jenny takes over the leadership roles from her brother Carlos Camarena, who is widely recognized as a steward and pioneer who has become one of the leaders in modern tequila production, renowned for his contributions to the category.

“It is my greatest honor to follow in the footsteps of the three men in my family that have shaped El Tesoro since my grandfather started this spirit in 1937,” Jenny Camarena said. “I am thankful for my brother Carlos, his guidance and encouragement as I embrace my turn to lead this beautiful spirit that we are so proud to be making for generations. The fingerprints of my family are all over this special tequila – now it’s my turn to bring my own ideas, personality and dreams to the next chapter of El Tesoro.”

Jenny is the youngest of nine children from legendary tequilero Don Felipe Camarena and his wife María. She studied architecture in Guadalajara at the Tecnologico de Monterrey and began her career at the Elias Rizo Arcitectos firm. Her family’s history in the tequila business had a strong pull and in 2015, Jenny returned to La Alteña, joining the distilling team. Ten years into her tenure she is ready to take the reins from her brother Carlos.

“I am so proud of my sister Jenny for the growth, dedication and passion she has demonstrated since she came back to La Alteña ten years ago,” Carlos said. “We are Camarenas and patience can be a challenge for us, but Jenny has learned this art and has allowed nature, nurture and the expertise of her team and those around her to continue shaping El Tesoro’s excellence. 

“She asked me how could she fill my shoes and I told her how could she? We are not even the same size! It’s time for Jenny to leave her own mark, and I could not have more confidence in my sister to look after El Tesoro as a true Camarena.”

Using her foundation in architecture as a guide, Jenny’s goals for El Tesoro are aimed at stewarding the traditions that have shaped this precious spirit, while bringing new life into the brand and furthering its prestige. She is excited to bring her family’s product line to even more people around the globe, serving as a reference point for what family businesses are capable of as well as how tequila should be made and savored.

In her new role, Jenny will oversee new innovations from start to finish, as well as continue honing and ensuring the core range of El Tesoro remains at the highest level of quality. She will lead the team of distillers and jimadores who maintain and harvest La Altena’s 100% highlands-grown blue agave, the brand’s most precious asset, which grow for up to nine years in the mineral-rich soil of the Jalisco highlands estate. 

The terroir gives El Tesoro a unique character and complexity. The Camarena tradition ensures this is maintained through patience and very careful observance of the agave crop that will craft this precious liquid. Once the agave reaches peak maturity, it is harvested by hand, cooked in old fashioned hornos (ovens) for three days, then gently crushed by a two-ton volcanic Tahona stone to extract the juice. 

It is then double-distilled to proof before the tequila is rested in carefully selected barrels intended for the delicate imparting of flavors that make El Tesoro one of the most acclaimed and awarded tequilas on the market today. 

Read more: El Tesoro Releases Knob Creek Rye Finished Tequila

ABOUT EL TESORO TEQUILA

Since the first drop of El Tesoro ran off the still of La Alteña Distillery, every decision has been made to celebrate the agave’s unique flavor. El Tesoro is made slowly and carefully to capture the agave’s essence in a bottle. The El Tesoro portfolio of core products available in the U.S. includes the following: Blanco, Reposado, Single Barrel Reposado, Añejo, Extra Añejo and Paradiso). For more information, visit www.eltesorotequila.com.