Where there’s smoke, there’s PATRÓN® Ahumado. Let us explain…
While the category of agave spirits continues to skyrocket in popularity, many drinkers view tequila and mezcal through a black-and-white lens. Tequila, they’re told, must be juicy and sweet. Mezcal, meanwhile, is marked by its unmistakably smoky aroma and taste.
And now PATRÓN, long time a leader in the category, is here to break that consensus with the launch of its newest expressions: PATRÓN Ahumado Silver and PATRÓN Ahumado Reposado.
The Making of PATRÓN Ahumado Silver and PATRÓN Ahumado Reposado
Both spirits are tequila, meaning that they’re made from 100% Weber Blue Agave. But the agave piñas selected for PATRÓN Ahumado are roasted in small batches over mesquite charcoal for at least seven days in small, stone ovens located underground at Hacienda PATRÓN in Jalisco, Mexico. Afterward, they are crushed with a stone tahona wheel, completing this traditional process that is most often utilized in the production of tequila.
The result is a tequila that’s been infused with the smoky flavor of mesquite — ahumado is Spanish for “smoked”— but still retains the smooth, sweet character that PATRÓN tequila is famous for thanks to the brand’s dedication to sourcing only the finest and fully mature Weber Blue Agave. PATRÓN Ahumado is a tequila like no other and offers rich rewards for the curious drinker whether it is served neat, over ice, or incorporated into cocktails like the Paloma, the Margarita, the Old Fashioned, and much more.
The process used to create PATRÓN Ahumado has resulted in two unique expressions: PATRÓN Ahumado Silver and PATRÓN Ahumado Reposado. PATRÓN Ahumado Silver can be identified by its lingering smoky and smooth taste, with a natural sweetness that is expertly balanced by notes of spices, black pepper, and cooked agave. The aged expression of Ahumado Reposado, meanwhile, provides a smoothly sweet yet smoky ride typified by flavors of wood and black pepper with hints of vanilla and caramel.
Welcome to the Smoke Show
Unsurprisingly, a brand as iconic as PATRÓN has put considerable thought into the packaging of its latest expressions. Both PATRÓN Ahumado Silver and PATRÓN Ahumado Reposado can be given and received in bottles that retain trademark PATRÓN design touches including a rounded wood stopper and a neck ribbon. However, both bottles are amber colored — an aesthetic yet practical choice as this coloration will help keep its contents fresh — while the neck ribbon and logo are both a rich shade of copper.
That copper color peeks out again at the edges of the label, which appear to have been “burnt” away in a playful touch calling back to the agave’s roasting process over charcoal. The back label, meanwhile, is whole but contains a perforated seal that will reveal more of this fascinating new tequila’s backstory when peeled away.
The Best Ways to Serve Ingenuity
In keeping with the pioneering spirit of bold new expressions, there is no one way to enjoy PATRÓN Ahumado. Those who have previously whiled away the evening with a straight pour of mezcal may wish to sip either expression spirit neat. Others just dipping their toes into the world of smoky spirits, or looking for a more relaxed or refreshing way to experience PATRÓN Ahumado, may enjoy both PATRÓN Ahumado Silver and PATRÓN Ahumado Reposado over ice.
Naturally, the smooth-meets-smoky appeal of PATRÓN Ahumado opens up new possibilities in the ever-growing field of tequila cocktails. PATRÓN Ahumado Silver’s intriguing balance of mesquite smoke and fresh agave sweetness make it a top candidate for an Ahumado Margarita that will prove to be anything but ordinary. The woody notes of PATRÓN Ahumado Reposado, coupled with its rewarding touches of caramel and vanilla, will shine in an Ahumado Old Fashioned elevated by an undercurrent of sweet smoke.
The opportunity for PATRÓN Ahumado to redefine existing tequila cocktails — or blaze a trail for new ones — is not lost on D-J Hageman, who serves as PATRÓN’s vice president of marketing for North America.
“With an edge on smoothness compared to competing tequilas, Patrón Ahumado offers individuals something new and an opportunity to create easy at-home smoky cocktails that don’t require a diffuser or smoker, for an elevated cocktail experience,” said Hageman in an interview with Forbes.
By matching the smokiness of mezcal with the smooth sweetness that is only found in PATRÓN tequilas, the PATRÓN Ahumado range represents a true rarity in an established spirit category: innovation. And should you wish to experience this bold new flavor profile firsthand, you’ll know where to find it — just follow the smoke.
This article is sponsored by PATRÓN.