Premiumization as a trend in the tequila industry

As director of Casa Sauza and with more than 21 years of experience in the company, one of my challenges is keeping an eye on industry trends to stay at the forefront. In this latest stage, I have detected two trends in how spirits are consumed and how niches such as premiumization have been generated.

Trends in the spirits industry

Responsible Consumption

The trend in spirits and also in the tequila industry is interesting in two ways: There is a greater awareness of responsible consumption of alcoholic beverages, as it has increased our understanding of the risks of abuse to health and a significant social risk as well since the abuse of alcohol can cause situations that harm many families. Here, first, we must become aware as a sector of the alcoholic beverage industry of how we can influence this trend of responsible consumption to become increasingly more assertive in society. Although our industry is related to art due to the culinary and cultural enrichment that tequila provides, we must never lose sight of the negative impact that excessive alcohol consumption has.

How much should we Mexicans drink?

Having a good time with friends is something we all like. Speaking of responsible drinking, it is established that for an adult man, the permitted limit is no more than three drinks spaced one hour apart, and for women, no more than two. Each country has different measures, but this is very easy to understand. What we call a standard drink includes any alcoholic beverage. This should be our starting point to start counting.

Premiumization trend in Tequilas

The other trend we are discussing is the growth of the premium sector. Consumers are willing to pay for everything that requires hard work and effort regarding quality standards and responsible consumption. There is a trend towards premiumizing products in all categories.

What is product premiumization?

Premiumization is about little of the good; that is its meaning and simplest definition. Why do I say about the good? Most spirits take time, and they say that time is money.

That is why a good tequila must be understood, enriched, and tasted. It not only complements a gastronomic and cultural experience but also captures time.

How does tequila capture time and appeal to the senses?

In the case of tequila, our agaves grow for 6 years in the field, with all the elements and characteristics that range from the minerals in the soil to the water and even the atmosphere that surrounds the plant. Together, these elements give different notes to the tequilas from different regions.

From there, we say that if the processes are different, this will also considerably influence the notes of the drink. And then we say that you need science and art to create experiences that reach the senses to make a good tequila.

What do you want a drink to give you? It can be fruitier or more herbal, with notes of spices, nuts, or wood. The interesting thing about all this is that somehow, through our senses, tequila takes us to experiences and memories.

Many of these memories can be pleasant, but they can also take you to unpleasant memories. But most of them are pleasant memories from childhood, youth, and any other time we feel good.

When you say, "This has a chocolate aroma," your senses take you back to that feeling of well-being, perhaps a memory of when your grandmother made you chocolate. So, we say that talking about tequila is about different experiences for each person. It talks about memories, recollections, and moments that made us cry or laugh, which enriches the experience with the drink.

Why Premium? Precisely because you have to taste, savor, and enjoy the drink slowly, from time to time. If so many years have been spent in the field, you have to give it time so that we can enjoy and feel all these aromas and experiences that have enriched our lives. This is what I believe our market captures.

What sensory notes do Sauza tequilas have?

In general, our tequilas have a very characteristic citrus note. The memories that come to my mind with this note are those mornings you wake up wanting to do things. In my case, I start my days drinking orange or grapefruit juice since it fills me with vigor and enthusiasm to do my activities and focus on my day. Aromas are closely related to memory. We are not fully aware when we do it, but our subconscious brings us those memories.

Obviously, there are other notes, such as the vanilla notes in the aged ones, which, in my case, remind me of the vanilla smoothies my mother prepared for me. These are the things and experiences that enrich us.

This is why we say that the production of tequila combines art and science in a product that can take up to 9 years to reach the palate, enriching the experience in a Premium product like those found in the Casa Sauza product range.

We invite you to enrich this culinary experience by learning how to taste and pair tequilas with the content we publish at CASA SAUZA.