Mexico has always been at the heart of Clase Azul’s story. Founded in Jalisco in 1997, the house has built its reputation on elevating traditional tequila-making into something that’s closer to collectible design. Now, as the country prepares to host the FIFA World Cup 2026, that sense of honoring its Mexican heritage takes on a sharper relevance – one that the brand is marking with its latest release.
The upcoming tournament, shared with the US and Canada, will be the first in the World Cup’s history to span three nations, turning North America into a single stage for the game’s biggest global moment. For Mexico in particular, the World Cup carries a familiar weight. It will be the third time the country has hosted soccer’s biggest tournament, following editions in 1970 and 1986 – both of which produced defining moments in the sport’s history.
The scale of the tournament is part of what sets it apart: 48 teams from around the globe will compete in 104 fixtures across stadium to stadium, city to city. Clase Azul’s limited-edition Spirit of Champions celebrates this idea of cultural convergence into its tequila. There’s a clear nod to Mexico’s starring role, of course, but the tone is broader.
“Moments like these transcend sport; they bring cultures together to create lasting memories,” says founder and CEO Arturo Lomelí. His perspective moves away from the mechanics of the game itself and toward everything that surrounds it – the anticipation, the atmosphere, and the strange intimacy of millions watching the same moment unfold at once.
That feeling carries through to the design. The handcrafted decanter is elongated and softly luminous, its ivory ceramic surface traced with fine gold accents, and at its center, the brand’s emblem is set with green malachite. The overall effect is considered rather than showy, echoing what Lomelí describes as “the unique magic that emerges when different nations pursue the same trophy.”
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Inside, master distiller Viridiana Tinoco has followed a similar line of thought, creating a joven tequila (an intentional blend of aged and unaged expressions) that mirrors the idea of collaboration. The base spirit is aged for 28 months in French oak vats from the Tronçais forest, giving it depth and structure, while a touch of unaged tequila brings lift and clarity. Aromas of cooked agave, coconut, and toasted wood open into almond and walnut, finishing with a gentle thread of spice.
The release also sits within a growing physical world for the brand. In Mexico City, Casa de los Leones has been conceived as an extension of the house, bringing together hospitality, design, and tasting in a restored mid-century mansion in Polanco. It’s a lived space for the brand’s universe, where visitors move between curated rooms to experience the true spirit of Mexican hospitality.
For collectors, the numbers will inevitably appeal. Just 10,000 one-litre decanters have been produced, each priced at $1,700 and released through a tightly edited network of boutiques, Casa de los Leones, and select global retailers.
