Happy Hour: Tequila

Michael Jordan, Nick Jonas, Kendall Jenner, The Rock, Kevin Hart, George Clooney…what do all these celebrities have in common? They all have (or had) their own Tequila brand.

Oh tequila, that not-so-sweet nectar we drink in shoots but also in cocktails, and, that has the facility of erasing our memories (when we consume it with no moderation, of course).

But why am I writing about tequila today? Actually, I have seen this trend at every American event for the past few years, and I wonder how long it will take for it to come here.

First, a little bit of background

Tequila is a distilled beverage made from the blue agave plant, originally from the homonymous city, in the state of Jalisco, Mexico. It is often confused with another Mexican beverage: Mezcal. However, Tequila is exclusively made from blue agave and both drinks are prepared differently.

Mexican laws have affirmed that tequila could only be manufactured in Jalisco and nearby states. It has a protected designation of origin.

Tequila Boom Boom

According to Fortune Business Insight, the sales of tequila increased by 30% last year in the US and kept growing after de pandemic. 

You are probably wondering how come this former cheap spirit that we used to drink back in college has become so popular? The truth is that there are more than 2000 brands of tequila. Even if most of them come from a big company, there is a certain competition into making the tastiest one. Therefore, the offer out there is more refined, aromatic, and tastes smoother. Whether we drink it in cocktails or we enjoy it neat. As the quality of Tequila has increased over the past years (as well as the price), people appreciate it like a good old whiskey.

Another factor for the success of the product is the marketing campaign behind it.

I must say that I am a huge US’s products consumer and I am constantly looking for the latest trends there. Thus, I can say without a doubt that Tequila is everywhere: at social and corporate events, in restaurants and bars, and I have even seen it at a baby shower!

In addition, many celebrities have invested in the Tequila industry, so we can understand how easily the industry has gained consumers’ respect and approval. For instance, George Clooney co-founded Casamigos in 2013 and sold it to DIAGEO for USD 1 billion in 2017. Do you see profitability here?

What about us?

Although Tequila is quite popular in the US (Margarita being the #1 cocktail there), what about Europe? Should we be expecting this “tequila effect” here as well?

“Though I personally love enjoying a glass of Tequila or a Tommy’s Margarita, I think we will still have to wait a couple of years before this trend arrives here”, said to me Alban Mettere from BamMixto. “Tequila had not made a positive first impression: we know it from shots and for drinking low-quality brands when we are young,” he told me. Moreover, Alban explained to me that it takes 7 years before the agave can be harvested. We know there is already a lack of agave in Mexico. It won’t affect production or consumption right now, but it could damage them in the long run.

Besides all this, which is true, I can see a bright light of hope called Project Josiane, which is a French spirit made of agave. There was a lot of agave in the south of France and it needed to be removed in order to protect local flora and fauna. So, long story short: we do have a “kind of” European Tequila.

Case to be continued…

Meanwhile, we wait to see what will come off this trend; I am happy to share with you a Classic Margarita recipe made with Tequila El Padron, cheers!