In order to understand Storywood, let us introduce our founder.
Scotland made, Texas raised, chef by heart, and a lover of oak aged liquids.
It was April 2016 when Michael started spending more time in his mother’s hometown of San Miguel De Allende, Mexico. The culinary scene there was bursting with talent and he was rekindling his passion again for cooking. However, whilst he thought he was on a search for finding flavour in food, an unexpected meeting with master distiller Luis Trejo at the Distiller La Cofradia, turned his direction. This was the beginning of a journey to create unique barrel aged tequilas.
As a whisky lover Michael became intrigued by the flavours in tequila. The balance of earthy agave and the sweet oaky notes from the barrels were something he began to love.
It was here in this place that Michael met Master Distiller Luis Trejo. The pair discussed their national spirits, the obvious differences, one made from Agave the other from a grain spirit. The similarity being rested in oak to enhance the flavour. But one thing that stood out was the continuous use of only using bourbon barrels with agave spirits, whereas whisky has be aged in a variety of oak to create unique flavours.
And so the story began with our master distiller Luis using his craft of creating the finest 100% agave liquid married with Michael’s experience and understanding of flavour through oak ageing. Together they have created some of the finest award-winning tequilas you will ever taste.
"Our mission is to bring new flavours to tequila through oak. We work with distilleries, wineries, and cooperages from around the world to hunt for the freshest casks that we can get our hands on. Our oak and flavours are what we love, but its the places we go and the people that we meet along the way that becomes our story. Storywood is our chapter one with many more to come."
- Michael Ballantyne
