Tequila’s purity problem under scrutiny
As a legal case challenges what “100% agave” really means, producers and regulators face growing calls for greater transparency. Industry veteran Brent Hocking weighs in on the standards, semantics and future of premium tequila.
A class-action lawsuit filed earlier this month against Diageo in New York has sparked renewed scrutiny of what Tequila producers mean when they label their bottles “100% agave”. The legal complaint alleges that two of the drinks giant’s flagship brands, Casamigos and Don Julio, contain “significant concentrations of cane or other types of alcohol” despite their premium agave credentials.
Diageo, which firmly denies the claims and has vowed to defend itself in court, insists that both the CRT (Mexico’s Consejo Regulador del Tequila) and the TTB (the US Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau) have certified its products in accordance with the law.
But the case has exposed a wider tension in the industry: the growing gap between regulatory compliance and perceived authenticity. As headlines swirl, those with deep roots in the category are beginning to speak up.
‘Liquid tells the truth’
Brent Hocking, best known as the founder of DeLeón Tequila, a brand he later sold to Diageo, has long been vocal about the need for clarity in the category. For him, the problem is not just about labelling; it’s about erosion of trust.
“The tequila category has evolved rapidly, often at the expense of integrity,” Hocking tells db. “Labels may still say ‘100% agave,’ but how that claim is treated or verified varies widely.”
He suggests that regulatory frameworks, while necessary, only go so far. “The CRT validates agave content, and the TTB monitors formulas and additives. But certifications are a starting point, not an endpoint. True purity begins with intent and is demonstrated through process.”
That process, he argues, should go well beyond box-ticking. “Labels may meet compliance requirements, but liquid tells the truth.”
What lies behind the label
At the core of the legal debate is the definition of “100% agave”— a term that ought to mean no other sugars or spirits are used in the fermentation process. Under Mexico’s NOM-006, any tequila marketed as such must be derived solely from Blue Weber agave. But as the lawsuit suggests, enforcement across a fast-growing category is uneven.
“No, it has not lost its meaning,” says Hocking of the phrase. “It is just increasingly harder to find. The phrase now requires more scrutiny.”
And while he recognises the CRT’s role in maintaining standards, he points to the sheer scale of today’s market. “With so many brands in circulation, the responsibility also lies with producers to uphold the spirit, not just the letter, of the law.”
A normalised problem
Hocking is candid about the widespread use of additives in tequila, even in premium bottlings. “Yes. Even at the upper end of the market, additive use remains common, often undisclosed,” he says. “It’s become normalised, and in many cases, untraceable to the average consumer.”
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Indeed, while Mexican law permits certain additives in small quantities (such as glycerine, caramel colour and oak extract), producers are not required to declare them on the label. The result, critics argue, is a marketplace where even seasoned drinkers struggle to distinguish between tequilas made with traditional methods and those enhanced for consistency or flavour.
For Hocking, the answer lies in transparency, but not necessarily marketing gloss. “Consumer trust is restored through transparency and consistency and quality of the product itself, not claims.”
Purity as principle
With the spotlight now firmly on what constitutes purity in Tequila, the debate is forcing producers, regulators and consumers to reckon with more than just production methods. It’s a question of philosophy.
“Purity means intention at every stage, and that we have,” Hocking says. He outlines a framework built around three elements: “pure water, balanced fermentation and ripe agave. That, plus singular control of the distillation process.”
He notes the rarity of single-brand distilleries in today’s industry. “Over 95% of the tequila distilleries have multiple tequila brands coming out of the same facility. Many of them with over 50 brands of tequila being produced at the same location.”
This industrial model, he argues, creates significant challenges for quality control. “Imagine trying to explain how your particular tequila brand at one of these distilleries is differentiated from all the others…? How the equipment is cleaned for each one, so the Bagazzo, the waste of the tequila running through the equipment, particles are not getting into your tequila as the tequila contractor makes you ‘your own special blend’?”
By contrast, Hocking’s own production takes place in a dedicated facility, making a single product, a model he believes should be more widely embraced if the category is to regain credibility.
Beyond compliance
Tequila’s recent rise as a global luxury spirit has brought unprecedented attention and pressure. Celebrity-backed brands, aggressive marketing and soaring prices have pushed growth, but often at the expense of nuance.
As the Diageo lawsuit proceeds, its implications could ripple through the industry. If successful, the case may force not just relabelling but a broader reckoning with how tequila is produced and presented to the public.
For now, Hocking remains unapologetically sceptical of shortcuts. “Take a drink of Tequila Purisima neat, and then take a drink of what you have been drinking in tequila. The purity is glaringly evident.”
In a sector increasingly built on image, the challenge may not lie in what’s declared on the label, but in what’s poured in the glass.
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