Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Have you ever had a tequila that you loved? In one day, it was just gone. No announcement, no goodbye. It just disappeared from the shelves. Today we're going to talk about a few that hit hard for a lot of tequila fans. First one being Los Dos. Los Dos and Tequila Cabeza. And then one that vanished and somehow came back. El Ultimo Agave. Why do some good tequilas go out of business? Los Dos was made at Nom 1414 El Ranchillo, the Vanka Distillery in Arandas. And if you know 1414, you know it's capable of making really solid tequila. Los Dos. It wasn't flashy, it wasn't celebrity bagged. It wasn't trying to be luxury. It's just a good, clean, honest tequila. Here's the reality. Good isn't always good enough. You still need great distribution. You need to have some marketing and you gotta have some capital. If the brand doesn't move fast, it disappears. And then there was Tequila Cabeza, all also from nom 1414 Cabeza had a real following. Bartenders loved it. It was affordable, it was dependable. But being in the mid tier price range is brutal. You're competing against massive brands that can outspend you 10 to 1 on marketing. So even if the liquid is good, sometimes the business side has to survive. And sometimes it doesn't. That doesn't mean it wasn't great tequila. It just means the economics of it didn't work. And this is how amazing tequila. I had this with Sergio Cruz at his house. Not really any bottles left, so I did get a signed one. Pretty fired up about it. Haven't opened it since I brought it home. Now, let's talk about one that disappeared for a while. El Ultimo agave. Produced at NAM 1522. That's Hacienda de Ora, a distillery that's known for quality production and strong tradition. El Ultimo went away quietly. You couldn't find it. I felt like it was gone for good. But now it's back.
[00:01:50] New logo, new look, fresh energy. And this is the part I love. Sometimes brands get a second shot. Ileana Partina looked at her family history and this tequila that she knew about her whole life and decided, let's do it again.
[00:02:06] This is Eliana's production. It is fantastic.
[00:02:09] So keep in mind, sometimes ownership changes, sometimes distribution resets. Sometimes, sometimes the market shifts. And a good tequila can always find its way back. Here's what all that really tells us. The tequila industry is brutal. It's not just about making great tequila. It's about cash flow, shelf space, and about surviving long enough to build a following.
[00:02:30] For every big luxury launch you see, there are small brands quietly fighting to stay alive. Some make it, some don't. So remember, next time you're out there buying a tequila and you see a small brand that you've heard a little bit about, pick it up. It might be your next favorite tequila. And you may be the person that helps keep that tequila alive.
[00:02:51] So here's my question for you. What's a tequila you love that disappeared? Drop in the comments, because sometimes the best bottles are the ones you can't get anymore. If you like real talk about tequila, make sure you subscribe. Like, do all those things. Thanks for following. And I'm gonna go have me some El Ultimo Agave.
