Every July 24th, the world raises a glass to tequila, the golden elixir born from the heart of Mexico. While the spirit's roots trace back to ancient civilisations who fermented agave (a monocot plant growing in arid regions) for ceremonial drinks, tequila as we know it emerged in the 16th century with Spanish distillation techniques.
India is experiencing a full-blown agave awakening. Once a realm dominated by whiskey and vodka, the country is now discovering the complex flavours and the rich heritage of tequila. From coastal metropolises to bustling cities, the demand for this Mexican masterpiece is on the rise. As India's palate evolves, tequila is poised to become the next big shot in the country's vibrant spirits scene.
Rakshay Dhariwal, Founder and Director of Indian brand Maya Pistola Agavepura (Pistola) summarises this shift, saying, “With agave, we focus a lot of our efforts into proactively educating the beverage audience on the nuances with agave spirits—and why pure agaves are gaining prominence.”
He further explains the key difference in tequila and pure agave spirits. “All tequilas are agaves, but not all agaves are tequilas. Tequila is a GI-tagged product, restricting the production of tequila to five designated regions in Mexico, and made with Blue Weber Agave.”
“Like Blue Weber, there are 150+ species of agave plants worldwide – and spirits produced from any of these species are called 'Agave Spirits,' including mezcal”, Dhariwal added.
Founded in 1942 by Don Julio González-Frausto Estrada in the highlands of Jalisco in Mexico, the Don Julio brand has been a hallmark of quality and a certain vintage repute in the tequila industry. Estrada opened a distillery named "La Primavera" with a vision to produce high-quality tequila and set new standards for the spirit.
Don Julio was a pioneer, embracing modern and innovative techniques in tequila production. With a relentless pursuit of perfection, he experimented with different fermentation and distillation methods, creating a smoother, more refined spirit. In 1985, he introduced the first Añejo tequila, aged in oak barrels for a minimum of one year, highlighting the potential for aged tequilas to rival other prestigious aged spirits like whiskey and cognac.
The brand's commitment to excellence continued to flourish, and in 2014, Diageo acquired Don Julio, further solidifying its position as a leading name in the world of tequila. Consumers now understand that tequila is only one of the offerings under the umbrella of agave spirits, and are diving deeper into exploration, Dhariwal believes.
To understand various expressions of tequila, one needs to delve deeper into it’s roots. Reposado means "rested", while Añejo means “vintage” or “old” in Spanish. And with genuine interest, knowledge sharing brings a community together, especially in craft beverages - as is happening with agave in India.
India’s alcobev industry stands at an interesting juncture where consumer preference is driven with knowledge about what they are drinking. “They prefer knowing their drink and are learning to ask the right questions to their bartender”, as Radhakrishnan Nair, the Co-founder of 30BestBarsIndia had observed while opening the ‘What India Is Drinking 2023” report, with findings of a survey done across 125 bars in India. Slowly, the growing curiosity is driving an ingredient forward culture even across the busiest bars.
The Agave findings from the report listed the top 10 brands with Jose Cuervo on top, followed by other imported ones like Patrón, Camino and 1800 - with two Indian agave brands Pistola and Desmondji making their place among the eight other ‘tequilas’.
Dhariwal notes, consumers are increasingly keen to interact directly with the product and the brand, shifting the focus to experiential touchpoints. “There have already been agave-centered bar takeovers and menus, but what’s next in line are life-size events and clubs.”
Tulleeho Tequila Club, allegedly the first such in India, launched in May 2024 aims to provide an international perspective to India's growing beverage community - by hosting bar takeovers with Mexican bars, curating Tequila-centric tours in Mexico, and celebrating agave culture through fiestas across Indian cities.
Its founder and CEO, Vikram Achanta attributes this new club to the rising curiosity among consumers and is committed to curating unique, educational, and immersive experiences for anyone who appreciates the fine art of enjoying Tequila. “With the influx of tequila and agave spirits, this category is on an incredible growth trajectory. Interest to learn, understand and mindfully indulge in tequila and its sister-spirits - Mezcal, Sotol, Raicilla, and Bacanora has never been this high before at home”, Achanta said.
“An incredible initiative launched at a time when consumer curiosity around the category, be it Tequila, Mezcal, or local Agave, is on the rise. Given the vibrancy of this space, initiatives like this are essential”, noted renowned restaurateur and Chef Tarun Sibal.
INGREDIENTS
45 ml Patron Reposado
20 ml lime juice
15 ml agave Syrup
10 coriander leaves
1 pc red pepper
METHOD
Shaken, old fashioned over ice cubes. Add all ingredients into the shaker, muddle the chilli and coriander. Half salt rim a glass and garnish with the stem and end of red pepper. Add ice into the shaker, shake well and strain over ice cubes.
INGREDIENTS
45 ml tequila
2 pcs red Chilly/Paprika
30 ml honey water
40 ml apple juice
METHOD
Muddled the tequila with Red Chilly. Add honey water and apple juice and stir well before pouring over ice.
In Bengaluru, Sanchez Restaurante & Cantina and Sriracha are partnering with Don Julio for a Tequila Day celebration. Sanchez will offer traditional Mexican dishes with a twist, while Sriracha will present dishes inspired by eight Asian countries. A special sorbet machine will create unique sorbet cocktails, such as Lemon Rosemary Sorbet and Tangy Grapefruit Sorbet, infused with Don Julio Blanco tequila. The event promises a memorable culinary experience with diverse flavours and exceptional service.
Sanchez - UB City, 204, Vittal Mallya Rd, KG Halli, D' Souza Layout, Ashok Nagar, Bengaluru, Karnataka 560001
Sriracha - Level 2, 4th Floor, UB City, No. 204, Vittal Mallya Rd, opposite J.W Marriott, Bengaluru, Karnataka 560001