About Us

Explore and experience Mexico's premium tequilas and mezcals right here in Australia. This is tequila but not as you know it.

Our mission is simple. To make high quality tequila and mezcal accessible to the Australian public at competitve prices, whilst offering the very best customer service.

We will bring you the best sipping tequilas and mezcals which are exclusively produced using respected modern and traditional methods. We honour the ancient processes of tequila and mezcal making, as they were back in the 16th century, and for good reason.

Unlike other spirit distributors and retailers, we focus solely on premium tequila and mezcal. This allows us to maintain close relationships with our local and overseas suppliers. In turn, we are able to bring you the very best agave distilates at the best prices. We also gain access to one off and rare bottles for your enjoyment.

You can read more about how we came to be here

When you think tequila, you probably recall memories of your early twenties down at the pub and that horrid burn looking for a good time in the most cost-effective way. Well, with globalisation and the explosion in international travel and trade, things have changed... and for the better.

Tequila is now more than just a punch line and the way people enjoy this spirit is fast evolving. “I think people have changed the way they enjoy Tequila. More consumers sip and enjoy 100 percent agave tequila brands,” says Jacques Bezuidenhout, bartender ambassador for Partida tequila.

So what gives?

Tourism to Mexico has steadily increased over the past 10 years from a low of 500, 000 in 2009 to a high of over 2.5 million in December 2017. This has meant more people have experienced high quality artisan tequila, which is not readily available outside of Mexico. A little-known secret is that not all tequilas are made equal.

Many of the brands available from the local bottle shop manufacture their batches using ultra modern techniques that enable them to mass produce by increasing efficiency and maximising yield. They use under-matured agave, additives and adapted processes. The result is a lower quality product that is best left unopened.

In contrast, a premium tequila is smooth, mellow and well balanced. It is full of aroma and embodies complex flavours. Sipping tequila is best enjoyed slowly, either neat or over ice. It can also make a good cocktail great.

This new-found knowledge and appreciation for high quality tequila (and mezcal) has driven up demand, particularly in Europe and the United States. Australia is following suit and as at March 2021 sits only 3rd in 100% agave tequila consumption. There are reports that unprecedented demand is causing shortages in agave production that may last until 2021.

We stock 4 categoires of premium tequila. Blanco, Reposado, añejo and extra añejo. We also range expressions of premium mezcal such as joven, ensamble, pechuga, Iberico and borrego from the most respected distillers.

Agave's being steamed in above ground ovens to produce tequila

Agave's being cooked in ground pit ovens to produce mezcal

This is surprisingly a complicated answer but we'll just focus on some key aspects for now.

Tequila

In short, we preference tequila that is made using traditional or acceptable modern techniques as "good. These include cooking in hornos or autoclave and maceration using tahona wheels or roller mills. To the best of our knowledge we don't list tequila that is made using diffusion.

As per the Consejo Regulador del Tequila (CRT) guidelines, we only list tequila that is 100% agave, noting that there is an allowance for up to 1% of each approved additive. We don't sell any mixto tequila.

Mezcal

We only stock artisanal and ancestral mezcal as defined by the Regulador del Mezcal (CRM). These classifications dictate the methods and equipment used during production and we don't sell the most industrial category 'mezcal'. We preference small batch, where the local community is heavily involved.

These methods yield a spirit with a significant taste difference to your mass produced varieties. Think "screw up your nose harsh" shooters Vs "full bodied, rich aroma and smooth" sippers. It’s clear why the latter has adopted the name sipping tequila / mezcal.

Whilst there is still much confusion between these two Mexican staples, there is in fact quite significant differences that set them apart.

Geography:
Tequila can only be produced in declared regions of Mexico which include the state of Jalisco and in small parts of four other states. Mezcal is made around the city of Oaxaca. According to official regulations, it can also be produced as "Mezcal" in other areas such as the states of Guerrero, Durango, San Luis Potosi and Zacatecas.

Inputs:
Tequila and mezcal are both made with the piñas of the Agave plant, however tequila can only be produced with the Agave Tequilana or Blue Weber Agave. Mezcal on the other hand can be made from up to 28 varieties of Agave, including a blend to produce a distinct taste.

Process:
When making tequila the Agave piñas are steamed in above ground ovens where the starches become sugars suitable for fermentation. Agave’s destined for mezcal are cooked, or rather smoked, using in-ground pits with locally harvested wood.

Taste:
These differences drive a notable distinction between the taste and aroma of tequila and mezcal. Mezcal tends to have a unique, smoky flavour. It can also harbour a richer and more complex profile than tequila.

Now that you know a little more about us, please take your time and browse our huge selection of top shelf tequilas and authentic mezcals. There is much more to learn and experience. Salud!