Don Julio González began producing the tequila later sold under the Don Julio brand in 1942.
González was born in 1925 and entered the tequila business as a teenager. He established his own distillery in the town of Atotonilco el Alto, Jalisco, where he developed tequila-making methods focused on selecting mature agave and controlling production carefully.
The brand was originally known as Tequila Tres Magueyes. It later adopted González’s name, and the company became associated with premium tequila in Mexico and international markets. The distinctive bottle design, with a shorter shape intended to make it easier to see across a dining table, became part of the brand’s identity.
The 1942 date is sometimes confused with the dates when individual Don Julio expressions were launched or when the brand expanded internationally. It refers to González’s beginning as a tequila producer, not necessarily the release date of every bottle sold today.