The Rise of Alternative Agave Spirits

Remember: If It’s Not from Mexico, It’s Not Tequila!

While we continue to keep close tabs on the situation with Tequila Matchmaker and additive-free tequila, it seems an appropriate time to look into the onslaught of new non-mexican blue agave spirits entering the market. Lucas Assis posted an absolutely incredible video digging into a Hawaiian Agave Spirit this past week that really got us thinking.

With this boom-period for tequila a lot of producers are starting to experiment with making tequila-like spirits outside of Mexico. Brands are starting to pop up everywhere from South Africa to Australia to even close in our own Backyards.

But first what makes tequila, tequila?

To be called tequila, a spirit must meet several qualifications:

Origin : Tequila must be produced in specific regions of Mexico, primarily in the state of Jalisco and limited areas in the states of Guanajuato, Michoacán, Nayarit, and Tamaulipas.

Main Ingredient: The primary ingredient used in tequila production must be blue agave.

Production Process: Tequila must be distilled from the fermented sugars of the blue agave plant. The agave hearts, or piñas, are harvested, cooked, crushed, fermented, and then distilled.

Distillation: Tequila must be distilled in copper pot stills or stainless steel stills to no more than 80% alcohol by volume (160 proof) for most types, or to no more than 55% alcohol by volume (110 proof) for "Añejo" and "Extra Añejo" tequilas.

Labeling: Bottles of tequila must be labeled with the word "tequila" and include information about the producer, the type of tequila, and the NOM (Norma Oficial Mexicana) number, which indicates the distillery where it was produced.

Meeting these qualifications ensures that a spirit can rightfully be called tequila. Any deviation from these standards would result in a different classification or simply disqualify it from being labeled as tequila.

To get an idea of the process, and a look at a place that is doing it right, take an inside look inside at Leyenda de Mexico, the only tequila distillery totally owned and operated exclusively by women.

So If It Isn’t Tequila, What is it?

And is it Good?

Distiller.com highlights the Emerging World of American Agave Spirits, and how inspired by the centuries-old traditions of Mexico, American distilleries are crafting their own unique interpretations of agave spirits. Some will find it hard to adopt a spirit that seems to mimic an already superior spirit.

Distillers are realizing there is an opportunity to expand on the public’s appetite for agave-bases spirits and to try and expand on some of things that makes tequila and agave-spirits great.

Some noteworthy examples of American agave spirits include :

• Waikulu Distillery in Hawaii, is churning out a whole line of agave spirits.

• Don Manny Distillery who has a certified additive-free agave spirit done in the traditional Mexican way, but made in California.

• Wiggly Bridge Distillery in York, ME, who surprisingly has their own lines of blue agave spirits that have won multiple awards in several national spirits contests

In addition to American-made spirits, other countries are also throwing their hat in the agave ring. Such as Australia’s Top Shelf International, or even South Africa’s Leonista Karoo Agave spirit

Our take : It remains to be seen if these alternatives will have a lasting impact on the market. Nothing is ever going to take the place of authentic, real deal tequila. As long as these distillers aren’t pretending to recreate tequila, it’s fair to point out that this is a growing category, and we should give them a chance.

What Makes a Bar Truly Great?

Is it the drinks? Is it the food? What is it?

Recently Punch Wrote an Article about my favorite bar in all of Madrid, Casa Camacho. It got me reminiscing on just how much I love that place. I also wanted to add some more insight into why I think it’s so special.

My wife lived in Madrid for a year teaching English, and she loves that city. Every time I visited her, and every time we go back, we have to spend at least one incredible evening at Casa Camacho. We love it so much we even have a framed photo of their bar in our living room and an artist’s painting of it somewhere in our house, waiting to be framed.

Casa Camacho is a super traditional Spanish Vermouth & tapas bar in the Malasaña neighborhood of Madrid, a neighborhood that used to be a bit rundown and sketchy but is thriving today with a certain quirkiness and charm.

When someone asks me about where to drink in Madrid, I always list Casa Camacho first—before any of the amazing and modern cocktail bars in the city such as Salmon Guru, Baton Rouge, or 1862 Dry Bar. Don’t get me wrong, at both Salmon Guru and Baton Rouge I had a wonderful experience and the cocktails were unique, delicious & on point. But it’s Casa Camacho that has a stranglehold on my heart.

The bar itself feels like it’s been lost in time. The space originally opened in 1887 and adopted its current name in 1929. It doesn’t look like it’s aged a day and I mean that in the best way possible.

We can’t talk about Casa Camacho and not talk about the Yayo. No, not that Yayo. This Yayo was named after the slang for Grandfather in Spanish, and is (according to the Punch article) a cocktail that makes up 80% of Casa Camacho’s sales, despite them selling them for 3.50 euros each. I filmed them making one so you can see here.

It just feels like a piece of real Madrid.

Madrid is a very international & cosmopolitan city and that’s hard to escape if you’re walking past all of the luxury stores on Gran Via, or walking through Sol. But Casa Camacho seems to have kept a hold of a bygone era and is still fulfilling its role as a true neighborhood bar.

The service isn’t spectacular, the decor isn’t modern, it isn’t very large, but it has a magic to it that you can’t help but feel as your standing there drinking a Yayo and snacking on some olives.

This space feels like it hasn’t aged a day since it opened over 100 years ago, and that feels so genuine about it. It’s not trying to be trendy, it’s not trying to be modern. It knows exactly what it wants to be, it’s a constant, amazing reminder that this is nothing but a neighborhood bar. All the while, all around it Madrid has evolved into a modern 21st century city.

People will pop in and out for a quick drink before going on with their days.

On one of our visits, we saw a group of friends in their late 20s, early thirties. One of them, a mom who had a baby a few months old with her. The group of friends were chatting, drinking beers and vermouth and catching up. Having a wonderful afternoon with friends. All the while the baby slept in its carriage.

That moment showed me the heart of this place. A place that is a TRUE neighborhood bar. One that represents an era from the past that is still around today and it honors tradition and shows that there is a huge need for that in today’s world.

It also showed me that for a bar to be truly spectacular it doesn’t have to have the most elaborate or fanciest cocktails. It doesn’t have to have Michelin star quality food. It doesn’t have to be the trendiest. It doesn’t need any awards or designation. It doesn’t even have to the best hospitality. In fact, often times community & authenticity is all it takes to make a bar truly great.

In Other 🍹 News:

• Behind The Stick released Episode 2, Interviewing Miguel Buencamino, better known as Holy City Handcraft

• Punch published an article on Alternatives to Agave Nectar

• Imbibe magazine published their 75 to watch recently, about people to watch in the drinks / Spirits / cocktail world.