Mandala built its reputation on treating the decanter as seriously as the tequila, and the 2025 Día de Muertos release is the clearest expression of that yet. El Jimador is one half of a two bottle set called Life After Death, and the design does something most collector packaging never attempts: the skeletal hands painted across the two bottles interlock, so El Jimador and La Catrina physically complete one another when stood together. The story behind them is straightforward and rather good. El Jimador is the agave harvester, the man whose labour begins every bottle of tequila that has ever existed, shown here in his straw hat with the blue agave he spent his life cutting rising behind him. La Catrina, on the companion bottle, is the eternal figure of the holiday, wreathed in marigolds, who guides the departed back for one night each year. Together they represent a bond that outlasts death, which is the entire premise of Día de Muertos rather than a marketing conceit. Inside is Mandala añejo, made from 100 percent Blue Weber agave grown in Jalisco, slow cooked in traditional brick ovens and double distilled in copper stills before resting in oak. It pours with real depth: roasted agave, vanilla bean, toasted oak and dried fruit on the nose, then rich caramel and cooked agave across the palate with warm spice and hints of chocolate and citrus, closing long, smooth and warming on lingering oak and sweet spice. Bottled at 40 percent alcohol by volume in a full litre rather than the usual 750ml. Each ceramic decanter is hand painted, so no two are quite identical.
ABV / Proof
| ABV |
40% |
| Proof |
80 |
| Size |
1 Liter |
| Country |
Mexico |
| Region |
Jalisco |
| Brand |
Tequila Mandala |
| Category |
Tequila Añejo |
| Expression |
Día de Muertos "El Jimador" 2025 Limited Edition |
| Series |
Life After Death, two bottle set with La Catrina |
| Agave |
100% Blue Weber Agave |
| Cooking |
Traditional brick ovens, slow cooked |
| Distillation |
Double distilled in copper stills |
| Maturation |
Oak barrels |
| Bottle |
Hand painted ceramic decanter, each individually unique |
| Release Year |
2025 |
Tasting Notes
Color: Warm golden amber.
Nose: Roasted agave and vanilla bean lead, with toasted oak and dried fruit behind.
Palate: Rich caramel and cooked agave, with warm spice building through the middle and subtle hints of chocolate and citrus.
Finish: Long, smooth and warming, with lingering oak and sweet spice.
FAQ
Q: Is this part of a set?
A: Yes. El Jimador is one half of the Life After Death two bottle set. The companion bottle is La Catrina, and the skeletal hands on the two designs interlock so they complete each other when displayed together.
Q: Who is El Jimador?
A: The jimador is the agave harvester, the skilled worker who cuts and trims the blue agave by hand. This bottle honours that trade.
Q: Is this the El Jimador tequila brand?
A: No. This is Tequila Mandala. El Jimador here refers to the artwork and the figure depicted, not to the separate tequila brand of that name.
Q: Why is it a full litre?
A: Mandala bottles this release in a one litre ceramic decanter rather than the standard 750ml, so there is noticeably more tequila in the bottle.
Q: Will my bottle look exactly like the photo?
A: Each decanter is hand painted, so small variations are expected and are part of the appeal.
Q: Where can I buy Mandala Día de Muertos El Jimador online?
A: Available here at Liquor On Broadway while stock lasts, with fast insured shipping nationwide.
