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THREE AGAVES: Where African Soil Meets Agave Spirit

The story of South Africa's first 100% agave spirit begins not with one agave, but with three.

For decades, every farm in South Africa was required by law to cultivate agave—a drought insurance policy written into the agricultural landscape. Over generations, these imported New World plants naturalised in the Karoo, developing unique genetics found nowhere else on Earth.

Two hundred years ago, massive agaves crossed oceans on wooden sailing ships, traveling from Mexico and the Americas to find their way—through trade, shipwreck, or fate—to Southern Africa's western shores. Among these botanical pioneers were three agave pups that would change the Karoo forever.

In the 1800s, Ms. Rubridge—great-great aunt of Tim Murray, now known as the godfather of South Africa's Karoo agave industry—brought three agave offshoots (called "hijuelos" in the agave world) to a farm near what is now Robert Sobukwe Town, just outside Graaff-Reinet.

Nearly every agave growing in the Karoo region today descends from those Three Agaves.

Decades later, Tim Murray's father became the first farmer to transplant large quantities of these descended agaves onto the family property at Roode Bloem Farm. What began as a handful of plants evolved into millions of agaves now growing semi-wild across the sun-baked Karoo landscape—a living monument to botanical resilience and agricultural foresight.

Tim grew up surrounded by these prehistoric-looking plants, becoming the region's foremost agave expert. What started as curiosity transformed into obsession: Could the Karoo produce a spirit to rival Mexico's great mezcals and tequilas?

After years of experimentation, Tim perfected his process:

The result is THREE AGAVES: South Africa's first 100% agave spirit, grown in semi-desert soil, kissed by the African sun, and distilled with the patience the Karoo demands.

THREE AGAVES honours the Mexican tradition that inspired it while celebrating the unique terroir of the Karoo desert. This is an agave spirit shaped by African soil, climate, and heritage  - a new-world expression of an ancient craft.

This is how THREE AGAVES was grown.