Don Julio Tequila is named after its founder, Don Julio González-Frausto Estrada, who began distilling tequila in 1942 at age 17. Acknowledging the benefits of vertical integration, Gonzalez-Frausto established his own distillery, La Primavera, and spent the next 40 years improving his craft. He experimented with controlling various aspects of the tequila-making process, “from the cultivation of the agave to the bottling of the final product”. He named his distillery La Primavera (the Springtime) where he produced his first brand Tres Magueyes. He is said to have “spent nearly forty years perfecting the craft.” Don Julio’s first tequilas were shared with friends only, but as word on the quality of his tequila spread, he officially founded a company to put him in business.