Dobel Tequila Unveils First Release in Its Limited-Edition "Grandes Maestros Collection," Designed in Collaboration with Late Artist Francisco "El Maestro" Toledo

"Dobel Grandes Maestros" is a limited edition, numbered collection set of Extra Añejo tequilas, combining the highest quality of mastery in tequila with the expertise and delicate craft of the most influential and iconic Mexican artists. The inaugural edition — of which only 15 bottles are available in the U.S. — is both an homage and a legacy project: one of Francisco Toledo's final creations and a rare intersection of functional design and fine art.

Dobel Grandes Maestros Collection: The Francisco Toledo Edition embodies the culmination of a visionary partnership between the artist and Juan Dobel, 11th generation tequila maker and founder of Dobel Tequila.

As a bold reflection of Dobel Tequila's legacy of groundbreaking innovation, this ultra-limited release features the world's first Extra Añejo tequila finished in mezcal barrels: a category-defining first that honors Maestro Toledo's native Oaxaca. This extraordinary and innovative tequila goes through a special artisanal process and is meticulously distilled from agave that has grown for a minimum of seven years, cooked within brick ovens for 48 hours, distilled, and then aged for a minimum of three years in new oak barrels. The Extra Añejo tequila then spent up to four months in American Oak mezcal barrels that impart flavors into the richly dark liquid. The result is a rich, warm, and silky expression, with notes of mezcal smoke, dried fruits, cooked agave, toasted nuts, and vanilla.

Encased in a sculptural masterpiece personally designed by the late Mexican visionary before his passing in 2019, the release further solidifies Dobel's position at the forefront of craftsmanship and innovation in the world of tequila.

"Francisco 'El Maestro' Toledo and I began dreaming up this collaboration in 2016," said Juan Dobel, founder of Dobel Tequila. "Francisco and I shared a deep passion for Mexico and its culture, which we reflected through art and tequila. El Maestro and I envisioned a timeless art piece, one that would transcend conventional expectations and become an object that embodied Toledo's artistic principles and exceptional craftsmanship while showcasing Dobel's commitment to tequila excellence and innovation."

A celebrated painter, sculptor, and craftsman, Toledo drew from his iconic "Lagartos" series to design the bottles and their packaging in line with his unique visual vocabulary. The result is a rare tequila housed in a custom frosted bottle adorned with intricately etched artwork, and a rotating four-cube wood prism base, with each facet showcasing Toledo's iconic lizard design. Each set includes a hand-carved Teotihuacan stone bottle top, a stone pedestal, and a certificate of authenticity signed by the artist himself, turning each bottle into a collectible artifact.

With Toledo's craftsmanship and Dobel Tequila's innovative spirit combined, the collection emerges as a complete artistic statement, at once sculpture, cultural artifact, and functional vessel. It stands as a compelling testament to Toledo's lifelong demonstration that the boundaries between fine art and craft objects are ultimately artificial. In his universe, every medium becomes an opportunity to preserve and celebrate Mexican culture.

In a landmark moment, one of only 15 bottles available in the U.S. from Dobel Tequila's Grandes Maestros Collection: The Francisco Toledo Edition is now being auctioned on Artnet, marking the platform's first-ever curated spirits auction. The remaining U.S. bottles from this limited global release of just 281 are available for $5,000.00 USD through select luxury retailers and on-premise partners.

Collectors can visit https://www.artnet.com/spotlight/dobel/toledo-2025/ until April 29th to bid on one of only 15 Dobel Tequila Grandes Maestros Collection: The Francisco Toledo Edition sets available in the U.S.

Dobel Tequila will donate part of the proceeds from the sale of the work to benefit Friends of IAGO (the Graphic Arts Institute of Oaxaca) and the Manuel Álvarez Bravo A.C. Photographic Center.

Dobel Grandes Maestros Collection: The Francisco Toledo Edition Tasting Notes

Appearance: Clear, bright amber colored with golden and copper hues, its full-bodiedness can be witnessed from the tears in the glass.

Aroma: A perfectly achieved aromatic sequence in which the olfactory experience commences with a hint of mezcal smokiness interwoven with dried fruits, cooked agave, and caramel, finishing with aromas of wood, vanilla, almonds, toasted nuts, and cereals, which create aromatic complexity without oversaturating the senses.

Taste: Warm, silky, smooth, and well-structured, hints of the mezcal smokiness remain without being overwhelming and in perfect balance with the wood and dried fruit flavors of a very long and lasting finish.

ABOUT FRANCISCO TOLEDO

Francisco "El Maestro" Toledo (1940-2019) stands as Mexico's most significant contemporary artist – a visionary who created an entirely new visual language merging ancient Mexican spirituality with modernist innovation. Born in Juchitán, Oaxaca, Toledo's artistic vocabulary drew from his Zapotec heritage, his early encounters with nature, and folk stories of mythical creatures shared by family members.

While his work resonates with global influences – Dubuffet's visceral energy, Miró's surrealist whimsy, Klee's mystical geometry – these elements are invariably filtered through Toledo's distinctive indigenous perspective. Working across an astonishing range of media (oil, watercolor, ceramics, tapestries, and traditional materials like amate paper), Toledo achieved mythic status as the greatest interpreter of Mexican cultural heritage.

Beyond his artistic innovations, Toledo's profound impact on Mexico's cultural landscape includes founding institutions like the Institute of Graphic Arts of Oaxaca (IAGO) and establishing the Manuel Alvarez Bravo Photographic Centre. This lifelong commitment to cultural accessibility and preservation earned him the Right Livelihood Award in 2005.

ABOUT MAESTRO DOBEL TEQUILA

Maestro Dobel^® Tequila, masters of innovation and smoothness, is a modern expression of tequila with a refined craft and heritage that spans over 250 years. Founded by 11th generation tequila maker Juan Dobel in 2003, Dobel Tequila was born in Jalisco, Mexico and has since grown into a diverse collection of ultra-premium and award-winning smooth tequilas. As the creator of the world's first cristalino tequila in 2008, Dobel Diamante^®, the first smoked tequila, Humito^®, and the first pechuga tequila, Pavito^®, Dobel Tequila is known for its record of category innovation and mastery of smooth tequila craftsmanship.

For more information, please visit www.maestrodobel.com or follow on Instagram and Facebook at @dobeltequila.

Maestro Dobel^® Tequila. 40% Alc. /Vol. (80 Proof). Trademarks owned by Maestro Tequilero, S.A. de C.V. ©2025 Proximo, maestrodobel.com. Please enjoy responsibly.

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