Last Updated on July 30, 2026
If you are in the Guadalajara area and want to have a really cool Tequila experience then you should check out the Casa Sauza distillery tour. Located in Tequila, Mexico, about an hour west of Guadalajara, Casa Sauza is located just a few blocks from the town center.
The history of Casa Sauza starts back in 1873, when Don Cenobo Sauza purchased La Antigua Cruz tequila distillery Jalisco. Sauza is a brand of innovation, and was the first to import tequila to the United States.
Today, under the Suntory holdings umbrella, Sauza produces well known brands of tequila, including Hornitos and Tres Generaciones.
How to Book a Casa Sauza Distillery Tour
Tour reservations can be made in person or online. Tours are offered in English and Spanish, with multiple start times. There are different tour packages to choose from, ranging from one hour to the whole day. For the most up to date information check out the Casa Sauza website. We did the middle of the road tour option called Casa Suaza Tour and were easily able to book online.
How to Get to Casa Sauza
Casa Suaza is located in the town of Tequila which is roughly one hour outside of Guadalajara. The easiest way to get there is by driving. You can rent a car or you can hire a driver for the day. You can also get to Tequila from Guadalajara by bus using the Tequila Plus bus. If you drive park as close to the center square as you can. If you take the bus it drops you off at the bus depot which is a short walk to the center square.
Once in Tequila, Casa Suaza is just a few blocks down the road from the center square of Tequila. You can even grab a drink or something to eat at the square and then walk to Casa Suaza. When you enter you will be met with a garden and a worker to guide you to check in. If a worker isn’t there at that moment head to the left and you will find the gift shop and a restaurant. You can grab a margarita if you get there early!
What to Bring
You won’t need much on your tour of Casa Sauza. A few things to consider bringing though are sunscreen and water. The sun can be very strong and dehydration can sneak ups on you. Of course make sure to wear comfortable clothes and shoes.
What to Expect
First off, the tour is 2-3 hours depending on your guide and group size. So don’t plan to pop in and pop out.
To start you will meet we met our guide just outside the gift shop. We booked the Casa Sauza tour which began with a trolley that took us to an agave field. Here the guide gave a brief overview about the Blue Weber Agave plant used to make tequila. They talked about planting and harvesting the agave. You can even get to plant one yourself!
The next part of the demonstration was a jimador, or agave harvester, harvesting the piña of the agave. He used a tool called a Jima, which is a sharp round blade on the end of a long pole. He used it to trim try pointy leaves from the piña. Afterwards, we were able to take some pictures in the agave field.
After our trip to the agave field, we returned to the Casa Sauza distillery and got to do our first tasting of tequila. This was in an aging room with what looked like thousands of tequila barrels! No pictures were allowed in this area due to its sensitive nature.
After the tasting we were led into the distillery to see the machinery that processes the agave piñas and turns it into tequila. Agave is unloaded by the truck load where it is then cooked and shredded to remove the agave sugar. We were even able to taste some.
Our tour guide led us through the distillery explaining each part of the process and the origin of tequila. The Casa Suaza distillery is so big it almost looks more like an oil refinery! If you have been to a smaller distillery such as Cascahuin, the juxtaposition is incredible to see. Casa Sauza has taken a modern approach to creating a traditional spirit.
Our tour ended back at the gardens of Casa Sauza with a cantarito making class! The cantarito is classic Jalisco cocktail, that is similar to a Paloma and served in a terracotta jar. It’s a very refreshing drink and you can get one all over Guadalajara.
Is the Casa Sauza Tour Worth It?
The Casa Sauza distillery tour is definitely worth your time. It is both educational and enjoyable, plus tequila samples! It is located centrally in Tequila and can easily be paired with another distillery tour in the day. It is so impressive to see such a large tequila distillery and learn the process from start to finish. The tour is 2-3 hours long depending on your guide and group size. I would definitely suggest pairing this tour with a tour of smaller traditional distillery, such as Cascahuin, to fully appreciate both styles of tequila production. Afterwards, you can drop by
