It’s a great time to be a tequila lover. As the demand for the spirit soars worldwide, brands are focusing on innovating and experimenting with new products to quench drinkers’ thirst. It seems like every week brings a new bottle to market, especially ones on the higher end of the spectrum. The recent nationwide release of Tequila Herradura Legend is a prime example of this growing phenomenon.
As one of the world’s oldest tequila makers, Tequila Herradura has made a name for itself over the years as one of the leading innovators in the industry. They created both the Reposado and Extra-Añejo styles of aged tequilas. They are also the makers of El Jimador, the original high-end tequila and the top seller in Mexico. Created to celebrate its 150th anniversary in 2020, Herradura Legend first rolled out in California and Texas. Its sales convinced the brand that it had another hit on its hands.
Made from 100% Blue Weber Agave, it is the first product created by Herradura’s Master Taster Karinna Enriquez. Though it is cooked in their traditional clay ovens, naturally fermented, and twice distilled, they tossed a twist into its aging. Since Brown-Forman
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Herradura Legend was the first creation by Master Taster Karinna Enriquez.
“We have always tried for innovation and challenged ourselves to bring amazing products to the market,” says Jesus ‘Chuy’ Ostos, brand director, Tequilas at Brown-Forman. “For Legend, we saw there was some white space between our Herradura Ultra and our Herradura Selección Suprema, so we decided to get creative and bring something different to the market to fill that spot. By aging it in charred, grooved barrels, we increased the surface area for the tequila to interact with the wood for twelve months. Ultimately, it made a velvety smooth tequila that’s very easy to drink and is a perfect fit for the ultra-premium market.
This drive to fill drinkers’ needs in the high-end market is something all tequila makers are focusing on for a good reason. According to a recent report from Fortune Business Insights, the tequila market is expected to grow from almost $10 Billion in 2021 to $15.5 Billion in revenue by 2029, with much of that growth happening in the premium and ultra-premium segments. The rapid growth of tequila is most evident in the American market, its most significant. It mirrors a similar boom from south of the border a few decades ago.
Jesus ‘Chuy’ Ostos, brand director, Tequilas at Brown-Forman.
“A similar tequila boom happened in Mexico around 1995-1996, transforming the market there. Back then, tequila wasn’t sipped on and savored; it was more mixed or shot. El Jimador, one of our brands, opened drinkers’ eyes to what tequila could be and triggered a complete shift in the market,” says Ostos. “In Mexico, good tequila filled a void for drinkers between high-end rum and brandy; it was the ideal spirit for drinkers to enjoy. The same is happening in America, where tequila fits in ideally between premium vodka and bourbon on drinkers’ palates.
It took some time for that shift in drinking to cross the border, but now the tequila boom is here in the U.S. We believe it will stay here for a long time. This is just the beginning of the growth of this category, and we are working hard to make sure that we have offerings ready to capture consumers looking for something great to drink.”
Priced at $150 a bottle, Herradura Legend is designed to appeal to the luxury imbibing market. By aging it in charred oak, Herradura has created a sipping tequila that they believe exhibits flavors that both bourbon and tequila drinks will find appealing. With eight bottles on the market now ranging in price from $39.99 for their Silver to $250 for the Selección Suprema, they feel that their catalog is well-rounded and offers something for every drinker. That is, until they decide to try something else new. Damn, it’s a good time to love tequila.