Slambusters

'Tequila' is invariably followed by 'slammer' in most people's minds. But for the drink to have a future in a market where 'responsible' is the buzzword, drinks companies are working hard to change that image. Adam Withrington reports.

When it comes to sensible drinking most products you can think of have some redeeming feature - a characteristic that can be promoted proving that the drink can be enjoyed in a responsible manner.

Beer? It has health benefits. Ditto wine. What about spirits? Vodka, rum and gin are well-known bases for thousands of cocktails. Whisky and bourbon? On the rocks please. Absinthe? Um, well... it makes you very artistic. Apparently.

One spirit, however, sticks out like a sore thumb. It isn't well known for its role in cocktail making, has no obvious health benefits and certainly isn't seen as a drink to be enjoyed on the rocks. And no, I'm not talking about meths.

Someone once said: "Tequila is Mexico, it is the only product that identifies us as a culture." But in the UK, it has no such grand designs. The drink simply conjures up images of shots, slamming and "salt, lemon and lime" as Britpop band Terrorvision so neatly put it.

Ask any 18 to 30-year-old how they would drink tequila and surely the answer in 90 per cent of cases would be "as a slammer". It's a drink to get you drunk, a party drink. It certainly does not fit into the "responsible" category.

So it is conceivable that tequila could be cast as the black sheep of the spirits family. Could it be thrown out into the cold, seen as too much of a risk to the industry? It has been widely quoted that if drinks companies fail to get their act together soon the government will come down hard on them as it seeks to rid the streets of drunken and disorderly behaviour.

Vodka may have its image problems but it is also well known as a mixer in simple long drinks or complex cocktails. Plus brands have been working hard to educate barstaff to pour responsibly-sized measures. The same cannot be said of the tequila market.

It is interesting, then, to see the emergence of two new tequilas in recent weeks, one gold, one silver, both pushing the same message - tequila is for sipping not for slamming. Can these two products create a change of image and bring tequila back in from the cold?

XXX plans tequila revolution​

Recently launched tequila XXX is a challenger to Cuervo Gold and brand owner David Ravandi does not believe it is time to be gloomy about the category's prospects.

"Tequila is not in danger of being left in the cold - it's one of the fastest growing sectors of the spirits industry," he says. "The reputation of inexpensive tequila as a slamming drink, drunk by British people to simply get them drunk, is not what we practise. We are in the business of producing ultra premium pouring tequila that you can sip and enjoy in moderation."

XXX certainly seems to have worked in Los Angeles. It got a great reception at one of its first official outings - the premiere of the movie Matrix Revolutions. "We were the sponsor brand for the post-premiere party. After 10 minutes guests were brand-calling XXX. For such an unknown brand that's unheard of," David says.

Can the brand have the same effect in UK pubs? David says: "I guarantee you that we will change the image of tequila. XXX has unique packaging and a sophisticated style of distillation. These two factors will hand-in-hand take the image of tequila to the next level."

Jose Cuervo moves away from slamming​

Earlier this month Jose Cuervo, which is owned by Diageo, decided to fill the gap in its portfolio for a silver tequila and launch its Clásico tequila. This gap has existed since its old Blanco brand was withdrawn from the market in 2001.

Cuervo is keen to rid tequila of its stereotypical image as a slamming drink and it has a clear marketing strategy to help change that image. Kirianne Green, brand manager for Jose Cuervo, explains: "We do recognise that shot consumption has a role to play but in order for the category to grow we have to show consumers other ways of using the brand. That is why we are investing all our money into promoting one way of drinking it and that is Cuervo and cola.

"It is a refreshing way to drink tequila and makes it a longer drink, which is what consumers out on a Friday or Saturday night want and it is a way of enjoying the brand responsibly. What convinces us we are right is that in the two biggest tequila markets in the world, Mexico and the US, it is the cocktail market that drives it, not the shots market."

Someone who believes in Cuervo is Tom Estes, international bar owner and newly appointed tequila ambassador to Europe - an appointment made by the tequila chamber of commerce in Mexico. His eyes were opened to the expanding boundaries of the tequila market when some of the world's biggest tequila producers came to London and spent an evening in Tom's flagship Covent Garden bar, Café Pacifico.

He says: "The really interesting thing was the way they ordered pitchers of cola to go with their Cuervo Gold. I tell you Cuervo and cola is one of the biggest trends right now because tequila is giving people something that little bit different from vodka or bourbon. It's not just about shots or Margaritas any more. It's a very exciting time."