Tequila Terroir

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equila terroir can you tell a tequila by its region ? By Jack Robertiello

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s Americans continue to get smart about tequila – what it is, where it comes from, how it’s supposed to taste and how to drink it – more and more brands are being made and marketed with U.S. consumers in mind. Ever since Patrón blazed a path of success by focusing on highend imagery, many other tequilas have been developed with high hopes for similar results. And some have succeeded. According to the most recent statistics released by the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS), tequila boomed last

year at the very highest end, with volume up among super-premiums by 10.6%, the fastest growing part of the business. And while tequila is only the seventh leading spirits category in volume, with 10.6 million 9-liter cases sold here last year, it accounted for nearly $1.6 billion in gross revenues in 2008, making it the fifth largest revenueproducing category. DISCUS revealed that value–priced tequilas last year were up 6.4% in volume; premium, the largest category by far, was down 1.3%; while high-end premium was down 9.2%. For comparison purposes, Juarez is a typical value brand, while Cuervo Especial is a premium, Sauza Hornitos a high-end premium and Don Julio Anejo a super-premium. Super-premium tequilas were one of the high points for the entire spirit business in 2008, according to DISCUS. Those brands (mostly extra anejos aged a minimum of three years, but also aging and finish-

promotions focusing on launch support, the new ad campaign of “Living Notoriously Well” and on-and off-premise activities revolving around the margarita.

ing experiments) including Cuervo Reserva de la Familia, Gran Centenario Leyenda, Partida Elegante, Bordeaux-barrel finished Gran Patrón Burdeos and others, have impressed journalists and consumers alike. Additionally, the quality halo emanating from these brands is just another way that tequila is seen to be improving. Not bad for a spirit that even a few years ago many consumers still thought of in terms of salt and limes, worms and frat parties. This summer, Patrón will implement a summer mixology program, highlighting the versatility and mixability of Patrón Silver and Patrón Citronge, through three key drinks: “Patrón Pomegranate”, “Patrón Grapefruit” and “Patrón Pineapple”. Sales staff will promote these signature cocktails in both the off- and on-premise. Things have gotten so hot that more and more retailers, especially those doing business in California and the southwestern states, are having a hard time keeping those super-premiums on the shelf. Says Zack Romaya, owner of two San Diego area wine and spirits shops, the expensive tequilas he stocks in his Old Town Wine and Spirits shop fly out the door: “It used to be that single malts were the big high-end spirits, but for me now, unusual and very expensive items like the $2,500 Dos Lunas, or the $1,300 Asom Broso 11 year old, are attracting the collectors.” Romaya stocks around 500 tequilas in his store, many of them in the $40-$70 range, but except for old favorites like Cuervo Gold and Sauza, few of his customers seem to be looking for mixto tequilas. His tequila customers are divided fairly equally into two areas of growth: women looking to explore the smoother side of the spirit through reposado, and men who are favoring both silver and anejo. It was the ideal time for Cuervo’s significant launch of Especial Silver in the premium price tier. Toby Whitmoyer, brand

Product Differentiation director of the Jose Cuervo portfolio for Diageo, notes that 60% of growth has come from silver tequilas. “Having a silver version of Cuervo is a massive growth opportunity,” he says. “This particular launch is the single biggest opportunity that Cuervo has had in a very long time.” Very smooth with a slight, sweet taste of agave, the Especial Silver targets males 21-29 (“the bullseye target is 2124, a consumer a year or two out of college finding his way in the world”) designed to be consumed as a frozen shot, although it works well in margaritas, too. Looking ahead to the summer, Whitmoyer says that Cinco de Mayo through mid-September, is otherwise known as “Cuervo Season”. They plan on spending more than $30 million on ads and

Meanwhile, new brands, like Lunazul (which took a silver and a gold medal at last year’s San Francisco World Spirits Competition) and El Diamonte del Cielo (praised by both Paul Pacult’s Spirit Journal and by the Beverage Testing Institute) continue to arrive, looking for an edge. The crowded marketplace is spurring brand owners and importers to refine their marketing pitches. Sapphire Brands' Cielo Tequila has developed an original flavor profile through its tri-barrel aging process. Both its reposado and añejo tequilas pass time in sherry, Port and bourbon barrels which impart subtle flavors to the spirit. One point of difference beyond the inherent qualities of unaged silver, lightly aged

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potlight on mezcal

While tequila has undergone a renaissance in recent years, Mezcal is still somewhat shrouded in obscurity. While both are produced from the agave plant, the process for Mezcal differs. • While tequila is made exclusively from the Blue Agave plant, mezcal can be made from many types of agave. • Tequila only has to be made with 51% agave, but all mezcals must contain 100% agave.

• Mezcal is synonymous with the Oaxaca region, tracing its roots back to more than 400 years; tequila is associated with Mexico's Jalisco region. • “Worms,” the larva of one of two moths that live on the agave plant, are found in some bottles of mezcal, not tequila.

One To Try: Scorpion, one of the leading Mezcals, known for its USFDA-approved scorpion in the bottle. They've just brought in the Oro de Oaxaca Mezcal, one of the most popular Mezcals, that comes with a small bag of "sal de gusano" (worm salt) on each bottle as well as the Mijes Mezcal, the new Mijes Joven variety in a blue blown-glass bottle with a cork/wax stopper.

Category focus

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100% from Los Altos, they will tend to be sweeter, fruitier with a more floral flavor profile. If you produce one that is 100% from the valley, the tequilas will be spicier, with pepper, mint and a little bit of cinnamon and citrus.” But the company’s research indicates that sugar content rarely differs between comparable agaves from the two areas, though the sensory notes that come from compounds called terpenes are somewhat different. More importantly, many lowland producers, including Herradura, use pinas from

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reposado, aged anejo and longer aged extra anejo, has often been argued among tequila connoisseurs: whether tequilas made in the Los Altos highlands (Arandas, Jesus Maria, Atotonilco el Alto) differ significantly from those from the Jalisco valley (Tequila, Amatitan, El Arenal). Highland tequilas are said to be more fruity and sweet, while lowland brands are said to be more spicy, herbal and earthier. These qualities are mostly evident in silver and sometimes reposado tequilas, which offer more natural agave flavors and aromas before the impact of new or used barrels takes hold. “Some of my customers know about the areas around Jalisco and the towns and highlands,” says Mario Alejandro Marquez, Tequila ambassador at San Diego’s Café Coyote. “And I do see more of an interest in those differences. I always say that if they want a tequila with more sweetness, they may want to try one from the highlands, because the agaves there seem to get riper quicker. When I’m there and compare the piñas of the highlands, they are huge while those in Jalisco might be smaller.” The highlands are somewhat cooler, which may affect the growth of the agave, as may the higher iron content visible in the rich red soil there. The result, Marquez says, can mean that lowland tequilas are dryer and more peppery while the highlands more sweet and crisp. “Some people from Los Altos like to advertise that there’s a huge difference between the agave from the highlands and those from the valley,” says Ruben Aceves, international brand development director for Casa Herradura, producer of Herradura, El Jimador and Don Eduardo. “We have proved that if you produce tequila that is

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Category focus

■ Tequila is made from the blue agave plant, which resembles a cactus, but is actually a member of the lily family. Believe it or not, bats pollinate the plants. Agave plant can take 6-12 years to mature. ■ At the heart of the Blue Agave is the ‘pina’ (similar in appearance to a pineapple) which produces the ‘aguamiel’ or ‘honey water’ that is the source of tequila. ■ Long before the Spanish arrived with sophisticated methods of distilling, the Aztecs were using the agave plant to produce a sacred beverage. By cutting away the spiky leaves to expose the agave’s core, they were able to extract its juice and create a milky, mildly alcoholic beverage. ■ Tequila must be produced within certain designated areas of Mexico, most notably, the State of Jalisco. The spirit takes its name from the colonial town of Tequila. ■ NOM is the Norma Official Mexicana, which is the official number assigned by the government to each tequila distillery, identifying which company made or bottled the tequila. Sauza is NOM 1102. ■ There are two classifications for tequila: 100% Blue Agave, which must be 100% from Blue Agave and bottled in designated regions in Mexico; and Mixto, which 51% must come from Blue Agave and can be shipped in bulk and bottled in other countries. ■ The five different classifications of tequila are based on the aging technique: Blanco, Joven (or Gold), Reposado, Añejo and Extra Añejo. ■ The Sauza® Family Distillery, La Persevencia, Mexico was established in 1873 and the Sauza family was the first to call the golden drink “tequila” and the first to export it to the United States.

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both regions. Aceves also points out that tequila is about more than agave location. Are the agaves fully mature? Are they cooked whole or shredded? Are they baked in clay ovens or steamed in auto-claves? Is the cooking slow or fast? Is fermentation natural or does yeast come from a lab? Does distillation occur at low or high proof? Distilled twice or three times? In a column still or pot still or a combination? Some producers continue to fiddle with their processes. For instance, Tequila Leyenda del Milagro offers a second line called Barrel Select made from older agaves and longer aging times. El Jimador, one of the leading brands in Mexico, has returned to a 100% agave formula after a few years as a mixto. Corzo, a super-premium from Bacardi’s House of Cazadores, is made through a process that ages a double distilled spirit for two months before distilling a third time. Corzo is also aggressive in the way they distill, using 24 pounds of agave for each liter of finished

tequila; the industry average is more like 10 or 12, says Takashi Nakamura, global r&d director, Bacardi Martini. Other brands have been expanding their offerings. 1800 last year introduced 1800 Silver Select, purported to be the only 100 proof silver tequila in the market. Sauza also relaunched its Tres Generaciones family of tequilas with new packaging in January 2009. One company, though, is making the argument that where agaves originate matters dramatically. Ocho is offering limited vintage release, estate grown agave tequilas, all produced in the highlands, according to Samira Seiller, director of communications. Last year the company introduced a silver and a reposado coming from one estate (El Carrizal) and an anejo from another (El Vergel). With 10 or so estates available right now, it will take about 12 years for each of these tequilas to return to market and so comparing them will be a lifetime experience. It may take longer than that to settle the tequila terroir question. n

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l av o r orward

Quality tequila may be going through a boom but not so much in an area where other white spirits – vodka and rum, specifically – have expanded their markets: flavors. It’s not for want of trying. Cuervo introduced three mixto flavors – Tropina, Oranjo and Citrico a few years ago, and Tarantula offers orange, lime, strawberry and banana colada flavors. On the superpremium level, Tanteo is available in tropical, jalapeño and even chocolate. But other companies don’t seem to have much interest at the mixto level. Milagro also ventured into the flavored category with its Limon and Mandarina brand extensions. Now comes Gran Centenario Rosangel, a 100% agave reposado tequila finished in port pipes and infused with flavors from

hibiscus flowers. The 80 proof brand, just introduced in 2009, is meant for both sipping or cocktail making, according to Michelle Sanders, senior marketing manager for importer Proximo. Rosangel isn’t the first flavored tequila-based spirit: the 64 proof Agavero is made from reposado and anejo tequilas blended with essence of the damiana flower. Meanwhile, one of the success stories in the flavor/cordial arena is Tequila Rose, a cream liqueur made with “a splash of tequila,” according to brand owner McCormick Distilling company's website. It is now available in three flavors – strawberry, cocoa and java. All have expanded the range of agave based flavors up and down the spectrum, and it’s a safe bet that if the agave supply cooperates, other innovations will soon be coming down the pipeline.