Patrón launches smoky $199 Tequila

Tequila maker Patrón is pushing the boundaries again with the release of a smoky expression made from agave roasted with mesquite for a week in small stone pits.

Gran Patrón Smoky honours traditional production methods. To create the Tequila’s smoky aroma and taste, the heart of the Weber Blue agave plant is roasted in underground stone pits at the Patrón Hacienda in the Jalisco Highlands.

The cooked agave is then crushed with a volcanic stone tahona wheel before the juice and fibers are placed in pine wood fermenters then distilled in copper pot stills.

According to Patrón, the Tequila boasts aromas of “artichoke, pepper, spices, and hints of sweet citrus”, and on the palate is “smooth with a sweet taste, distinctive smoked agave and citrus notes, and a long peppery finish”.

“At Patrón we have always been dedicated to preserving traditional Tequila-making techniques.

“With Gran Patrón Smoky we’ve taken that commitment one step further by exploring the ancient method of roasting the agaves in small underground pits, resulting in a balanced yet complex smoky flavour,” said Lee Applbaum, Global chief marketing officer at Patrón.

Packaged in a tall 75cl brown bottle closed with a Portuguese cork stopper, Gran Patrón Smoky goes on sale in select US states this month priced at $199 and will be rolled out into other key global markets next year.

The smoky Tequila can be enjoyed neat, on the rocks or in a cocktail.

In January spirits giant Bacardi bought Patrón for $5.1 billion in one of the most expensive deals ever made for a spirits brand, which eclipsed the Diageo / Casamigos deal by $4.1bn.

Patrón was founded in 1989 by Californian entrepreneur John Paul DeJoria, co-founder of Paul Mitchell hair products.

The brand launched at the audacious price of $37 a bottle when the ultra-premium Tequila category didn’t exist. It is now the industry’s leader, with US sales of $1.6 billion in 2016, according to Euromonitor.