“With people entertaining at home now more than ever, we understand our consumers’ desire to create a unique experience that their guests will truly enjoy,” said Carrie Kleban, global marketing director for Casa Herradura Tequilas. “With that in mind, we worked with Draftfcb Chicago to develop an application that makes the planning process approachable and helps consumers along every step, whether it is choosing a theme or selecting a cocktail menu, regardless of where they are. We’re excited to be the first tequila brand to offer adults such a comprehensive and relevant iPhone app.”

Perfectly aligned with the brand’s recently re-launched Web site, www.elJimador.com, and Facebook page, www.facebook.com/eljimador, the application is comprised of themed sections – Plan a Party, Recipes, Party +, and Jimador Finder – that let adults make the most out of their event. Features include social media connectivity that allows users to invite their friends to their gathering directly through a tailored Facebook event; suggestions on party themes such as “Paloma Friday”, “el Jimador Jam” and “Tequila Tailgate Kick Off”; a comprehensive collection of el Jimador-based cocktails; and a Google Maps-enabled product locator that informs adults of el Jimador’s availability in their neighborhood.

Additionally, the el Jimador “100% Party Planner” application can help hosts keep the fun going during the actual event with its Twitter-friendly ‘Spin the Bottle’ game; list of pick-up lines; authentic Mexican toasts; and Español 101 features. Furthermore, it includes a Cab Finder tool to ensure attendees arrive home safely.

“Throughout the design process, we kept in mind our ultimate goal: to ensure that consumers could count on ‘100% Party Planner’ as a tool at the very moment when they are ready to plan a party, allowing them to be the architects of real celebrations. Every page reflects the spirit of real tequila and of the el Jimador brand, from the black-and-white graphics featuring icons that represent tequila history and production process, to the drink recipes highlighting the spirit’s mixability,” said Liz Drouin from Draftfcb.

The winning bottle by Steven Wilson

The first installation of the series proved to be a compelling initiative, attracting attention from a wide-range of both world-renowned and unknown artists. This year, in addition to the eclectic variety of 11 user-generated designs, 1800 Tequila is excited to feature a special-edition bottle by Studio Number One, a group of rising star designers whose work is now being recognized as ‘essential’ in the art world.

Founded in 2003 by artist Shepard Fairey (who gained global notoriety this year for his Obama “Hope” design), Studio Number One has built a reputation as one of today’s most influential creative agencies in the country. Describing themselves as a “firm where art and design bridge the gap between culture and enterprise,” Studio Number One reflects the mission of the 1800 Tequila Essential Artists series.

“It’s a pleasure to be involved with something that puts art in more people’s hands, and to work with a brand like 1800 Tequila that supports and promotes artists,” said Amanda Fairey, Chief Operating Officer for Studio Number One.

“We wanted to create something that’s as much fun to enjoy on the shelf as it is off the shelf. It’s a design that captures the wild side of tequila, but tames it with a dose of humor and a sense of adventure,” added Florencio Zavala, Associate Creative Director for Studio Number One.

In addition to Studio Number One, eleven artists nationwide contributed work to create the series of 12 bottles.  These artists include StevOramA (Honolulu, HI), the $10,000 Grand Prize Winner whose design has been given a starring role in the series, as well as Ian McGillivray (Brooklyn, NY), Nickelyn Reames (Manteca, CA), danyol (San Francisco, CA), Leyland “Lee” DeVito (Detroit, MI), Danielle Salinas (Bloomfield, NJ), Chad Shore (Atlanta, GA), Mark Sweeney (San Francisco, CA), Branden Tintiangco (San Diego, CA), Chuck Trunks (Los Angeles, CA), and Michelle Villasenor (Atlanta, GA).

“We’re excited to offer another round of Essential Artists bottles, as we received an overwhelmingly positive response to the first campaign,” said Elwyn Gladstone, VP of Marketing for Proximo.  “Emerging artists can struggle for years before seeing their work recognized on a national scale, but the creative genius behind the submissions and the incredible demand from consumers has allowed us to expand this program and feature 11 more artists, on our way to showcasing 1,800 inspired submissions.”

Only a limited number of bottles have been produced, making for an attractive collector’s item and lively addition to any bar.  To find the bottles, which retail for $24.99 each, consumers can enter their zip codes into the “Liquor Locator” on 1800Tequila.com to find the series in their area.  In hopes of encouraging other artists to make their dreams a reality, 1800 Tequila plans to re-launch the contest at the end of this year, inviting artists to submit their own bottle designs for a chance at inclusion in the next series.

Source: 1800 press release

Tequila Notes

Brand: Cabo Wabo Blanco
NOM: 1476
Distillery: Impulsora Rombo, S.A. De C.V.
Alcoholic Proof: 38%
Price: $21 a bottle

Review Notes

The tequila is obviously clear and I’ve got to say that it has a very low alcohol taste. I’ve read about this tequila before and a lot of people tend to be less the complimentary about the alcohol taste of this brand. I’m not going to agree with them. The tequila has oddly enough a slight floral aroma with just a hint of citrus and pepper. The agave taste is clear and those floral aromas return in the finish.

It’s widely reported that this tequila is somewhat ‘oily’ and ‘harsh’ on the tounge. I’ve got to say I’ve not really noticed. The tequila to me is clean, simple and enjoyable to drink. As blancos go it seems to be a great preview of what’s to be had in the reposado or the añejo.

So….anyone crossing the pond in the not too distant future?

“Antiguo Tequila continues to build on its storied history from Mexico. Originally developed in 1924 and served exclusively to family and friends of the manor at Hacienda del Refugio, we are thrilled to bring this super-premium tequila to the U.S,” said Mark Bacon, U.S. brand director for Casa Herradura Tequilas. “Antiguo was launched in Mexico in 1995 to commemorate Casa Herradura’s 125^th anniversary of producing the world’s finest tequilas. True to the original formula that was kept a secret for almost a century, Antiguo has become one of the fastest growing tequila brands in Mexico.”

Antiguo Tequila is an authentic, super-premium tequila crafted to be a lighter bodied, exceptionally smooth product from Casa Herradura’s family of fine tequilas. Antiguo Tequila is 80 proof and has a suggested 750ml retail price of $24.99 to $29.99 depending on the expression; Blanco, Reposado and Añejo.

“These expressions are lighter in taste and color with a smoother and mellower finish, making them incredibly versatile for stylish tequila cocktails, or enjoyed neat,” he said.

In celebration of the launch of Antiguo Tequila in the U.S., Tim Laird, Brown Forman’s Chief Entertaining Officer, has developed a couple of signature cocktails:

Source: Businesswire

The new Añejo package first will be available in California and Texas, and roll out to the remainder of the U.S. by year’s end. The new look will feature the same tall, angular bottle as the other expressions and identical iconography of the Jimador on the label to pay tribute to the proud men that harvest the agave plants used to make tequila. The biggest difference on the Añejo package will be a silver background on the label which will radiate the quality of the 12-month aged 100% agave tequila inside.

“From a branding perspective, it is important for the Tequila el Jimador Añejo package to look similar to the other expressions to align it with the brand in consumers’ minds,” said Mark Bacon, vice president for Tequilas in the North America. “el Jimador is quickly becoming the tequila of choice for U.S. consumers looking for a high quality, authentic tequila at an accessible price so we wanted to ensure a consistent look and feel across expressions. Consumers can rest assured the only change was the bottle.”

To support the new el Jimador Añejo package, “the 100% Agave, 100% Real” campaign created by AOR Draftfcb Chicago, in conjunction with the Draftfcb Mexico City, will continue to run in various markets. The campaign delivers the primary brand message: “In a world where everyone associates tequila with celebration, el Jimador is the most authentic tequila celebration.” This authenticity is brought to life through a visual of a Mexican wood carving (created by an artist, Claudio Limon, in Guadalajara, the region of Mexico where el Jimador is made). The wood carving illustrates the brand story and is a tapestry of icons and symbols that relate to el Jimador’s history, production process and tequila celebration. The bilingual campaign will include television, print, out-of-home, POS and interactive.

Tequila el Jimador is produced by Casa Herradura, which was named “2007 Best Distiller of the Year” by Wine Enthusiast magazine. Since 2000, Tequila el Jimador has received numerous accolades from industry insiders, including the Adams Beverage Media Growth Brand Award in the Fast Track Category for 2005 and 2006.

To learn more about el Jimador, visit www.eljimador.com

Source: Businesswire

Proximo Spirits, owner of the 1800 Tequila brand, have chosen Imperioli to help boost their image and visibility amongst tequila fans that would normally sip Patrón . The $15 million campaign consists of TV, print, online and outdoor ads. Most notable are the two 15 second ads that have been released which both take tough, but humorous, jabs at the Patrón brand. 1800 Tequila, formerly Cuervo 1800, is cleary looking for an identity separate from its Jose Cuervo roots.

The campaign aims convince consumers to trade down from the pricier ultra-premium Patron brand. The actor/director says in one ad, “What happened to tequila? These days it’s all velvet ropes and posture. I don’t know about you, but when I drink it, I really like to kick back and be myself.” He then kicks a bottle of Patron off of a table and says sarcastically, “Oops.”

Patron tequila has seen an increase in press coverage over the last few years with it even being featured on high ranking shows such as Oprah Winfrey.

This is the first time 1800 has appeared on TV. Earlier this year it became the first spirits brand to sponsor the Los Angeles Lakers.The investment in this new effort is significantly higher than last year when spending behind 1800 Tequila was only $3.3 million.

A research team led by June Simpson Williamson said on Thursday that it took them six years to sequence 35,000 genes in Agave tequilana Weber.

The team has identified four or five genes which could be used to manipulate the agave’s flowering and maturity process, something that could boost tequila production.

Plants in the agave family die after producing a flowering stem, and slowing the progress toward flowering gives the plants a longer productive life.

Other liquors are made using relatives of the blue agave, but only products of the sequenced plant distilled in the western Mexican state Jalisco can be called tequila.

The project could also help identify other productive processes in the plant, including the production of herbal medicine, Williamson said.

In a federal lawsuit, Maker’s claims a red wax-like coating on bottles of the high-end Jose Cuervo Reserva de la Familia tequila amounts to an improper imitation of the bourbon producer’s seal.

The bourbon producer said the resemblance dilutes the unique quality of its seal and wants to drain the defendants of profits made from the packaging.

The suit filed this week in Louisville names Tequila Cuervo la Rojena and some affiliated companies as defendants, along with Diageo North America Inc., the U.S. distributor of the tequila.

Attorneys for the defendants declined comment Friday, saying they haven’t thoroughly reviewed the suit.

Maker’s — a part of Deerfield, Ill.-based Fortune Brands Inc. — said it has used its red wax seal continuously since 1958 and has made the well-known top a big part of its promotions.

“The red wax mark has acquired a tremendous commercial magnetism,” Maker’s said in its suit.

The bourbon producer said the red wax-like coating appearing on the Jose Cuervo Reserva tequila bottles deliberately resembles the Maker’s Mark seal. The suit said the resemblance is likely to cause confusion among consumers.

The suit seeks unspecified damages and payments representing profits made by the defendants through use of the disputed seal. Maker’s also seeks an order barring the defendants from using any coating that could be confused with its wax top.

It also seeks the destruction of any merchandise, labels, bottles, stationery and advertising in the defendants’ possession that represent the disputed packaging.

Maker’s lawsuit is similar to another filed by the bourbon producer in 2003 regarding the same high-end tequila. The first suit is scheduled for trial in November, though a pending motion by the defendants asks a judge to throw out the claims by Maker’s.

Edward Colbert, an attorney for Maker’s, said Friday that the second suit stems from changes made in the tequila product’s packaging since. He said the wax coating is still being applied, and that “it’s still very much the same, but somewhat different.”

Source: The Associated Press

Tequila Notes

Brand: Aha Toro Reposado
NOM: 1079
Distillery: Agave Tequilana Prod. y Comercializadores, SA CV
Alcoholic Proof: 38%
Price: 38 euros a bottle

Review Notes

The tequila is light in colour and the first sip is sweet with a very low alcohol taste. The tequila itself has a woody taste with a sweet agave flavour thrown in to the mix. It finishes with the agave flavour rising to the surface and an aftertaste of fruits lingers.

It’s widely noted that this tequila is certainly not as amazing and extravagant as it’s bottle would suggest. That said it’s certainly in no way a bad tequila.

The winners have been announced and who from the tequila crowd is standing out? Here’s  a pick from the results…

Gold Award (Best in class)

Blue Head reposado (Tequileria Las Juntas), Aztec tequila gold (Toorank Distilleries) and Sierra tequila reposado (Borco World of Spirits) all picked up the top award.

Silver Award (Best in class)

Blue Head Tequila blanco (Blue Head Tequila LLC), Hornitos Añejo (Beam Global Spirits & Wine Inc.)  and Sierra Tequila Antiguo (Borco World of Spirits) were honoured too.

Sauza Hornitos Añejo picked up a Silver "Best in Class"

The super-premium Tres Generaciones Tequila line took home two silver medals for Tres Generaciones Plata and Tres Generaciones Añejo. Silver Patron tequila fittingly picked up a silver award as did Cabo Wabo Añejo. Jose Cuervo Tradicional also picked up a silver award and Hornitos reposado from Sauza picked up a bronze.

For a complete list of all prizes and winners in other categories head over to the official site!