8 Discontinued Tequilas We Aren't Getting Back
It was not long ago that the American public's perception of tequila revolved around shot glasses and nasty hangovers. Thankfully, the recent boom in tequila's popularity has seen both appreciation and understanding of the spirit increase dramatically. Aside from dismantling this adverse reputation, tequila's popularity has also led to a consumer market that is increasingly open to experimenting with the spirit.
Agave spirits are forecast to become America's top selling liquor in 2023. Tequila, as the most popular of these, seems like an enticing business proposition to enter, a notion that is only amplified by the prominent success of celebrity backed tequila brands such as George Clooney's Casamigos. Unsurprisingly, there are now numerous tequila brands available for purchase in the United States.
Stories of celebrities' billion-dollar tequila sales obscure the fact that the tequila industry is enormously competitive. An abundance of brands, the alarming shortage of agave, and rising production and transportation costs make it extremely difficult to create a successful, economically viable tequila. Unfortunately, these pressures often result in a product, or entire brand, being discontinued. Here are eight tequilas that have suffered that fate.
Patrón XO Cafe
When it was announced in 2021 that Patrón XO Cafe was going to be discontinued, there was an immediate outcry. Bacardi decided to cut the spirit only three years after buying out the famous tequila brand. The COO of Patrón, Mauricio Vergara, claimed the move allowed the brand to focus on developing its core and ultra premium ranges of tequila. Fans of the spirit protested, even starting a petition to save Patrón XO Cafe, but to no avail.
Although Vergara didn't mention it, the agave shortage likely contributed to Patrón's decision. Premium and ultra premium products fare much better when costs increase. As Nik Keane, an ultra premium portfolio leader, explained to Just Drinks: "Yes, there is a shortage of agave but there have also been shortages of Scotch, Cognac, Champagne and Bourbon in years gone by. All the categories that have become premium have been driven, to some extent, by scarcity. If you let that play forward – as the cost of raw materials increases – it favours the ultra-premium space [...] At the higher end, there is more margin to play with, and the scarcity is driving the premiumisation."
Numerous brands have attempted to fill the market gap left by Patrón XO Cafe, including Bandero Café and Cazcabel Coffee Tequila. British Aldi stores have also released a store-brand coffee tequila in direct response to Patrón XO Cafe being discontinued.
El Luchador Organic Blanco Tequila
El Luchador is a tequila brand inspired by Mexico's famous lucha libre and the athletes that compete in it. The brand produces a range of tequila, including a blanco, reposado, añejo, and blanco 110 proof.
While all of these tequilas are enjoyable, aficionados mourn the loss of El Luchador's organic blanco tequila. This discontinued product was very highly thought of, receiving an impressive score of 92 from Distiller's Amanda Schuster. Schuster described the drink to Distiller as follows: "The power of this spirit starts with gentle and refined approaches before going for the drop. Bold vegetal notes mix with lemon, lime, vanilla, chocolate and chili pepper on the nose. The palate takes a double turn first into fruit and then into savory, introducing roasted pineapple mixing with roasted nuts, and even some tinges of beef broth and malty beer. The finish is surprisingly dewy and sweet, with subtle baking spices. Considering the hefty proof, the burn hardly pins you down, though some ice would even out the concentration of flavors."
The organic blanco was replaced by El Luchador's Blanco 110 proof tequila. This product helps El Luchador appeal to bars and those who wish to use tequila in cocktails; higher proof options are usually preferred in these scenarios. It is just unfortunate that El Lucador's organic blanco had to be discontinued to make space for the 110 proof.
Don Julio REAL
We have seen how some tequila brands are placing increasing emphasis on ultra premium products to improve profit margins. Despite this trend, eminent tequila brand Don Julio decided to discontinue one of its famous luxury products, REAL, in 2021.
Sold since 1996, REAL was a much-loved ultra premium tequila. The eye-catching, decanter-style bottle contained extra añejo — a tequila aged for more than three years – that gained a reputation as a brilliant, incredibly complex spirit. VinePair awarded REAL an outstanding score of 94, suggesting the tequila was worth its hefty $375 price tag.
The product was made by blending tequilas that had aged in two separate casks. Both of these had previously held different types of whiskey, incorporating unique flavors into the liquid. This dazzling blend can still be experienced; some third party sites still have bottles of Don Julio REAL for sale, albeit at much inflated prices. Don Julio has since gone on to produce another fantastic ultra premium tequila in REAL's place, the Don Julio Ultima Reserva Extra Añejo.
Roca Patrón
Patrón's Roca range was released to much fanfare in the summer of 2014. The range, featuring a silver, reposado, and añejo, stood out from Patrón's core range, as it was exclusively made via the traditional tahona method. In this ancient method of tequila production, the roasted agave is crushed using a gigantic wheel carved from volcanic rock. By comparison, Patrón's other products are made using both the tahona and a modern tool known as the roller mill.
Francisco Alcaraz, Patrón's former master distiller, explained the benefits of using the tahona to Business Wire: "What truly sets this process apart from other more automated methods of producing tequila is that in the tahona process, we introduce the agave fibers – not just the agave juice – into fermentation and distillation [...] It's very time consuming and expensive to create tequila in this way, but it's well worth the effort, as the tahona method creates an incredible and distinctively complex tequila, characterized by its earthy and vegetal aromas and flavor."
The Roca range drew praise from many tequila drinkers, several of whom lauded Patrón's foray into more complex, traditional tequilas. Unfortunately, the entire Roca line has been discontinued. For those who have developed a taste for tahona-produced tequila, there are several brands that can be enjoyed in place of Patrón's Roca range. Perhaps the best of these comes from Tequila Fortaleza, a brand that forgoes all modern options in favor of the tahona.
El Viejo Luis Reposado
Tequila has been used by Mexican cartels as a means of money laundering since at least the early 2000s. Unable to access large, multinational brands, these drug trafficking cartels frequently launch or take over smaller tequila brands. While many of these brands do minimal legitimate business, others sell products that reach global markets. This was the case for El Viejo Luis, a once popular tequila brand that was actually a money laundering front for Los Güeros, a drug cartel based in Guadalajara.
One of the tequilas produced by El Viejo Luis, the reposado, was well received in Mexico, Europe, the United States, and parts of Africa. Production wise, it was double distilled and aged for two to six months in American oak barrels. One reviewer described it as follows on Tequila Matchmaker: "Copious perlas on pouring. Nose: Fruity, agave up front, flinty minerals, butterscotch and vanilla. Some vague floral notes as well. Flavor: Big butterscotch and black pepper welcome. Medium viscosity, with a bit of bitters. Some heated barrel spices, (cloves and cinnamon), and vanilla open up shortly after. Finish: Not a bad little bargain sipper[.]"
Upon discovering the brand's ties with Los Güeros, the United States government blacklisted all El Viejo Luis products. The brand was discontinued a few months later.
Gran Centenario RosAngel
Gran Centenario has been producing tequila since 1857. Such a long history invariably means that products come and go. The brand's RosAngel is probably the most missed of all. This was the world's first hibiscus-infused tequila and the liquid — a reposado — underwent two separate resting periods; ten months in French white oak barrels and two months in barrels that used to hold port.
Port and hibiscus are not flavors that are usually associated with tequila, making RosAngel a very unique product. It was a tequila well suited to mixing, as this reviewer highlighted on Tequila Matchmaker: "Smells and tastes like grandmas spice cupboard, that's a win in this case as it's intended(I assume) as an ingredient for cocktails. Soft, earthy finish lingers on forever, this might be a great addition to a late evening cocktail."
Unfortunately, Gran Centenario no longer makes RosAngel or any other flavored tequila. The brand currently prefers traditional options such as blanco, reposado, and cristalino. Although it is impossible to completely replicate the flavor of RosAngel, any tequila can be infused with hibiscus flowers to make a reasonable substitute. Just place the dried flowers into the spirit and leave it for a couple of hours.
Two Fingers
Two Fingers was a tequila brand owned by Heaven Hill Brands. Two tequilas were sold under the Two Fingers brand, a silver and a gold. Both silver and gold tequilas were defined as mixtos — that is, tequila distilled from both agave and other sources, such as sugar cane.
Despite calls to reevaluate mixto tequilas, the subcategory is usually looked down upon by producers and consumers alike. This reputation is somewhat unjust; there are numerous examples of high quality, enjoyable mixtos. Unfortunately, Two Fingers was not one of them. Instead, the brand's tequilas demonstrated some of the subcategory's worst features, as one reviewer highlighted on Tequila Matchmaker: "Mother in law re-gifted me this bottle. It's going to take a lot of mixer to drink this. Lots of alcohol & chemical aroma. Artificial sweetener flavor. Her sister bought this for $16 in OK. What a shame as there are reasonably good tequila's in the $18-22 range in Oregon." Heaven Hill Brands did not give any reason for discontinuing both tequilas, but the poor reviews would suggest the product struggled to find a fan base.
Kirkland Signature Tequila
Kirkland Signature, Costco's much-loved private label, currently produces several different alcoholic beverages in numerous countries. Options in Britain range from port to cognac. In the United States, Costco used to sell Kirkland Signature branded tequilas. This range included silver, reposado, and añejo tequilas, all of which were made with 100% blue agave.
The low price point of these tequilas tempered many people's expectations of the tequila's quality. For the añejo, this was a good thing. The product was not very impressive, as one reviewer highlighted on Tequila Matchmaker: "Some flavors of caramel and oak, but otherwise overpowered by artificial sweetness. Taste and texture seems very thin and watery, and the finish is short and sweet. That is: short, and sweet like cotton candy. Stay away." The silver, or blanco, offering received better reviews. This, however, was not enough for Costco to continue production. At the time of writing, the only tequilas sold by the store come from other brands, such as Patrón.