Marian Martinez, Dailymail.Com Texas Bureau Chief
May 19, 2024 16:40, Updated May 19, 2024 16:43
Most popular tequila brands, including big names like Casamigos and Kendall Jenner's 818, contain secret additives like glycerin, caramel color, oak extract, and sugar-based syrups, according to DailyMail.com It became clear.
Although the bottle says it's 100% agave azul, Casamigos, famously founded by George Clooney and Rande Gerber (who is married to supermodel Cindy Crawford), is actually about 99% agave. There's only tequila.
Tequila makers are allowed to add four additives without notice, as long as they make up less than 1 percent of the ingredients in the bottle.
According to Patrón's website, the information is disclosed, sugar-based syrups containing glycerin, caramel color and oak extract are allowed. Casamigos is not like that.
“Many (tequila) products are made in a very quick, industrial and neutral way,” Tequila expert Grover Sanchagrin told Liquor.com.
“Instead of using[traditional]processes to produce natural aromas and flavors, we shorten the process by making a cheaper product and use additives to give it some character.”
Tequila is produced in the region of the same name near Guadalajara, Mexico, and is made from the agave plant.
The fermentation liquid is famously aged in oak barrels to achieve three levels of expression: silver, reposado, and añejo.
As the tequila ages, it begins to darken in color and acquires flavors from the wooden barrels in which it was stored.
Añejo is the type of tequila that requires the most aging and can take up to three years before it is ready for sale.
But time is money. For a brand like Casamigos, a leading tequila that currently ranks among the top 10 best-selling tequilas in the world and is endorsed by celebrities, waiting for it to age properly means a loss of revenue. means.
Glycerin can be used to mask under- or shortened distillation and give a richer mouthfeel. It coats the mouth and neutralizes the consumer's taste buds.
Colorants and oak extracts help mask tequila aged using traditional tequila methods.
Tequila influencer Jay Baer told DailyMail.com, “A darker color makes the barrel look longer because it makes the tequila look older.”
“When you add oak extract, it still tastes like wood, so consumers feel like it's been in the barrel longer.” Often, consumers think older tequila is better. and therefore we believe it is worth the higher price tag. ”
Tequila experts say large establishments outsource blanco tequila, buying it from unknown mass producers before adding chemicals to give it the taste customers are accustomed to. .
Kendall Jenner's 818 Tequila also contains additives, but the content is not disclosed to customers on the website or on the label.
According to 818's official website, the Kardashian sisters promote their product as “the most natural, best-tasting tequila” and promise that “only the highest quality ingredients are used in its production.”
Interestingly, 818 describes its Blanco as having aromas of “key lime pie and toasted coconut,” neither of which come naturally from oak barrels.
Neither Casamigos nor 818, which Clooney and a friend sold to alcohol giant Diageo, responded to requests for comment from DailyMail.com.
It's not just celebrity tequila that has additives.
It is estimated that 70% of all tequila contains secret flavor enhancers that consumers are unaware of.
“You have the right to know what you put in your body and what you consume.” Tony Boyle, CEO of Additive-Free Tequila Corrido, told DailyMail.com..
Additives aren't listed on the label, so two tequila experts in Guadalajara have created a website called Tequila that helps consumers find out about what they're drinking, whether it contains additives or not. Matchmaker was launched.
San Chagrin, a trained tequila sommelier, and his wife Scarlett began testing tequila brands in 2020 to obtain additive-free certification.
The Consejo Regulador del Tequila (CRT) is the regulatory body that oversees tequila after taking over from the Mexican government in 1994.
CRT is run by executives from some of the most profitable tequila brands and uses an honor system.
“Every distillery has a binder and they write down if they put additives in their product. The CRT looks at the binder and signs off and moves on. They don't test, they don't smell, they don't do anything.” Glover told Punch.
Tequila brands are currently clamoring to be added to the additive-free category, but so far only about 100 tequilas, including Tequila Corrido, are in that category.
“We start from scratch by sourcing the agave, making the Blanco, and actually aging the Blanco for 30 days, which is pretty unusual, but this is as traditional as it gets,” Tequila Corrido Communication Vice President Olivia Fierro boasted.
“The most traditional methods are costly and not time-efficient. Our anejo, for example, takes almost two years before it is bottled.”
Famous brands such as Tequila Ocho and Siete Reguas are also certified additive-free.
A few celebrity tequilas gained attention as well, including Santo Fino, started by rocker Sammy Hagar and chef Guy Fieri.
“Consumers are choosing pure tequila over tequila with additives,” Baer explained.
“As of April, additive-free tequila makes up 6% of the tequila market. That's a lot of money. These big brands are losing market share to these new additive-free brands, and we hope that doesn't happen. I’m here.”
Tequila Matchmaker has also issued stickers that brands can put on bottles to tell customers they are additive-free.
But don't think this hasn't caused some confusion.
Sanchagrin's website, which claims to be the world's most extensive tequila database, pits them against the CRT, which Baer calls the “tequila cartel.”
“I think they (CRT) went far beyond what was necessary to try to kill the cradle-free moment,” he said.
Tequila organizations oppose Tequila Matchmaker's Additive-Free Alliance program.
“Schemes offered in the market to “certify,'' “verify,'' or “confirm'' that a particular trademark is “free of additives'' in any language are acts contrary to good custom and practice.'' We believe that this will cause misunderstanding and confusion regarding trademark law. tequila consumers,” the group said in January.
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Last month, the couple's home was raided by Mexican federal authorities in the middle of the night, according to Mexican media.
Armed police, armed with a warrant containing a CRT complaint, claimed the Sanchagrin family was using their home as an “adulterated tequila factory”.
No one was arrested, but several bottles of tequila were seized.
CRT did not respond to requests for comment from DailyMail.com, but a representative was present during the April raid.
Despite the opposition, CRT announced earlier this year that it would create its own additive-free designation.
Details on how brands are certified as additive-free have not been made public by CRT, but Baer explained that a committee has been established to begin looking into the process.
“The commission is primarily compromised by master distillers who are not participating in the Tequila Matchmaker Program,” Baer added.
“From what I understand, that committee hasn't made much progress. My prediction is that nothing will happen. CRT continues to pay lip service to their own desire to create a program. However, the organization that runs the CRT really doesn't want to talk about additives at all, so no program is actually planned.
