ROCCO TORRO BUILDS AN

AUTHENTIC AGAVE DISTILLERY

Rocco Torro has begun construction of its very own distillery in the heart of the Great Karoo, on the southern tip of Africa. This initiative is a vital step in our quest to produce a world class Agave Spirit of exceptional quality. Our facility is solely dedicated to producing Agave Spirit: a hallmark in the global tequila industry.

OPENING SOON IN 2025

OPENING SOON IN 2025

THE WILD SPIRIT OF

AFRICAN
GIANTS

Rocco Torro’s agave spirit embodies Africa’s spirit, its origins deeply routed in African heritage and a testament to the continent’s untamed beauty and resilience. Our Giant Agave plant, a cousin to the Mexican Blue Weber tequila plant, thrives in the harsh yet majestic Great Karoo landscape, growing wild and free under the sun, moon and stars.

Rocco Torro’s Agave Spirit is more than jUST a drink. It’s the spirit of african giants distilled into every drop.

A TASTE THAT’S

REFINED &
SMOOTH

Our agave spirit derives its smooth, refined taste from the high concentration of natural sugars in our Giant Agave plant. These sugars undergo controlled fermentation and thermal breakdown, releasing a complex array of aromatic compounds. The distillation ensures a clean, crisp, finish whilst preserving our agave’s distinct flavour.

THE UNIQUE ORIGIN OF

SOUTH AFRICA’S
GIANT AGAVE

In the southern region of South Africa, lies the tranquil town of Graaff-Reinet, the 4th oldest town in the country and home to the largest concentration of wild African agave plants.

Unlike the common Mexican Blue tequila agave, our giants are the ‘Americana’ variety and grow up to five times larger due to The Great Karoo’s semi-desert climate. The plants are remarkably resilient, maturing slowly over 10-20 years in a harsh climate that brings freezing, frost laden winters and scorching heat in summer.

AN AUTHENTIC

AGAVE
DISTILLERY IN
AFRICA

The Great Karoo Agave Distillery is solely dedicated to producing Agave Spirit. According to the CRT (Council for the regulation of tequila which is found in Mexico), the production and bottling of ONLY Agave Spirit (and no other spirit) is allowed. Hence, our distillery has been specifically designed and engineered for the Giant Agave plants found in the Great Karoo.

AUTHENTIC AGAVE SPIRIT

We adhere strictly to the Mexican Tequila Regulatory Council (CRT) standards, ensuring our spirit’s authenticity.

SINGLE SPIRIT
DISTILLERY

DEDICATED EXCLUSIVELY TO CRAFTING AGAVE SPIRIT, FROM HARVESTING TO PACKAGING.

DOUBLE
DISTILLATION

GUARANTEES COMPLIANCE WITH CRT SPECIFICATIONS, DISTILLING EACH BATCH TO PERFECTION.

100% AGAVE SPIRIT
BOTTLED AT SOURCE

EVERY DROP IS BOTTLED AT OUR DISTILLERY, ENSURING UNCOMPROMISING QUALITY.

“As proud South African Agave Spirit producers, we embrace our heritage and celebrate our unique differences. Join us in experiencing the untamed essence of this majestic country.”

ATTENTION TO DETAIL

In every step of the process

From the hand selection of the Giant Agave plants to our custom made bottle, our entire production process is specifically designed to produce truly authentic agave products.

48 HOUR
STEAM COOKED

JUICE & fibre
fermented

DOUBLE
DISTILLED

AMERICAN/
FRENCH OAK
BARREL MATURED

ENGINEERED WITH
EXCELLENCE

Our custom-designed equipment caters to our unique African Giant Pinãs.

We designed & engineered our very own Steam Autoclave, the industry benchmark for cooking agave as used by renowned global Tequila brands.

HAND
CRAFTED

Our premium agave spirit is hand crafted from harvest to bottle by skilled technicians to guarantee a rich, smooth spirit of exceptional quality.

This meticulous process includes: Harvesting, cutting, cooking, fermentation, distillation, ageing and bottling.

UNCOMPRIMISING
QUALITY

Quality is paramount. Thorough testing and monitoring using advanced technology and our gas chromatograph ensures precise batch consistency. Our modern filtering and bottling equipment guarantees each bottle meets our exacting standards of product clarity and character.

HARVESTING THE
GIANTS OF AFRICA

Under the sun, moon and stars, our African Giants survive and grow. The African sun drives photosynthesis by day and water absorption by night. Once harvested, our Giant Pinãs weigh an impressive 130 – 250kgs, dwarfing their Mexican counterparts which weigh approximately 30kgs.

Growing in these semi desert conditions, many plants reach the age of 20 years, more than double the typical 7 years of the Mexican variant. We hand select and harvest these wild giants, carefully extracting the precious agave sugars. This labour of love ensures every bottle – every drop – truly embodies and encompasses the unbridled spirit of our African Giants.

IS ROCCO TORRO
A TEQUILA?

All tequila is AGAVE SPIRIT, but not all agave spirit is tequila.

All tequila is made from Agave plants and is also called Agave spirit. Rocco Torro Agave Spirit is crafted from Giant Agave plants grown wild in South Africa – harvested, distilled and bottled in Graaff-Reinet, South Africa.

The distinction between Tequila and Agave Spirits is rooted in the European Protected Designation of Origin (PDO), a concept pioneered by the Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée (AOC). Renowned categories like Champagne, Cognac, and Bordeaux fall under this protection. Tequila’s origins gained protection as early as 1933, with the United States and Canada officially recognizing Tequila as a uniquely Mexican spirit in 1994. The Mexican Consejo Regulador del Tequila (CRT) further stipulates that only the Agave tequilana Weber blue variety can be used in Tequila production and that the producing distillery only produces Agave Spirit, and no other types of spirit, from other spirit categories in the same factory.

Understanding and recognising the PDO and CRT regulations surrounding Tequila, we at Rocco Torro happily and proudly call ourselves African Agave Spirit. Tequila is our Mexican cousin!

Rocco Torro embodies the wild spirit of Africa. We celebrate our differences & embrace our heritage. Join us in CELEBRATING THE TRUE ESSENCE AND SPIRIT OF AFRICAN GIANTS.

THE 3 DISTINCT
PROFILES

OF OUR CURRENT RANGE

GOLD

A true African spirit fermented and double distilled with no added or blended spirits.

SILVER

The perfect cocktail tequila, Rocco Torro Silver is light and smooth with a hint of sweetness.

WHITE CHOCOLATE

A combination of pleasures. Premium agave infused with indulgent white chocolate for a taste of true decadence.

OUR NEW 100% AGAVE RANGE WILL BE AVAILABLE SOON WHEN THE DISTILLERY IS COMPLETE!

A TIME TO

SAVOUR &
CELEBRATE

Sit back and sip the smooth flavour of our carefully crafted Agave Spirit. Whether relaxing around a campfire, listening to the calls of the wild at dusk or celebrating the company of good friends, Rocco Torro’s wild spirit adds to your experience. We will offer distillery tours and tastings, keep an eye on our website or drop us an email at info@daroccacraft.co.za to receive updates.

WHITE CHOCOLATE

CONTACT US:

STELLENBOSCH OFFICE

40 Linton Road, Plankenberg,
Western Cape, South Africa
Email: info@daroccacraft.co.za

great karoo agave distillery

Cronje Street, Graaff-Reinet Industrial,
Graaff-Reinet, South Africa
Email: info@daroccacraft.co.za