The Tequila Takeover of India

By: Joanna Lobo

The first time I tried mezcal was at the now shuttered restaurant, Xico, in Mumbai. A friend and I were there to check out the Mexican food, an experience that started with tacos and ended with fried grasshoppers and mezcal. The spirit, an expensive and rare commodity in bars then, was smooth, a touch of smoke, and some earthiness Many years later, I tried mezcal again, at a restaurant named after it. At Mezcalita, the mezcal has a more
pronounced smokiness and goes down smooth. The spirit and my experience with it haven’t altered much, but the industry around it? That’s another story. Agave spirits (collectively called mezcals in Mexico) like tequila are having their moment in the Indian sun. We have two homegrown brands, DesmondJi, and Pistola offering
agave spirits. Last November, Delhi had an agave fest. There are now agave-focussed bars like Barfly in Goa, and tequila bars like Juju in Pune. Elsewhere, Latin American, and Mexican themed restaurants are creating cocktail programmes that showcase agave spirits, namely tequila and mezcal. Pernod Ricard recently mentioned they are planning on bringing tequila brands to India citing growing interest. Earlier this year, the 30 Best Bars’ report, What India is Drinking 2023, said tequila is setting the spirit world ablaze. ‘The growing popularity of Mexican restaurants with matching cocktail programmes, as well as Agave-focused bars is indicative of the fact that at some point in the future, Agave will start to make a mark for itself that will sustain the category for years to come. “Globally, there is a flattening of the curve for gin and steep increase for agave spirits, mostly tequila,” says Keshav Prakash, founder-curator of fine spirits platform, The Vault.

Birthing a trend

It all started with a margarita. Desmond Nazareth was known for making good margaritas, when he was living in the US. On his return to India in 2000, he found it difficult to make his signature drinks because of the unavailability of ingredients. He set out to rectify that. In 2007 came the craft distillery and company, Agave India, and in 2011, two products — a 100% Agave, a 51% Agave.
The agave used here comes from a blue green Agave plant, grown in the Deccan Plateau, with a history going back to the
Columbian Exchange.
As is often repeated when talking about Nazareth, he was ahead of his time. He is the pioneer for agave spirits in India. “This interest in agave is an offshoot of the general surge in agave spirits worldwide, a trend that has recently washed over India and shows no sign of receding,” he says.“The simple thing is we have been besieged by people for our agave spirit for the past year and a half. We are selling every drop of agave we make.”
Another homegrown brand is Maya Pistola Agavepura or Pistola (they used the spirit from Agave India). Rakshay Dhariwal of Passcode Hospitality launched the brand during the pandemic because he noticed a “lot of whiskey drinkers and gin drinkers were moving to drinking tequila”. Pistola now offers different expressions: Joven, Rosa, Reposado, Añejo and Extra Añejo’ in addition, there is the limited edition Rosa Select and the collector’s edition, Phoenix Añejo. “The main growth comes from the premium segment, with 100% agave.
We see a huge growth for these spirits in my restaurants…it is the third largest selling spirit. It’s doing better than vodka
and rum,” he adds. Tequila is considered to be a ‘healthier’, lower-calorie spirit, with a lower chance of getting a hangover (especially for quality spirits made without additives). Prakash calls it an “exciting drink”, with a character that goes well with Indian food. He further adds that he is glad that people have stopped shooting tequila and are moving to sipping tequilas. Anggel’s Share, an import and distribution firm, has seen a dramatic increase in imports of tequila, and mezcal. “This is a global phenomenon which hit India two to three years ago. Top bars are putting tequila and mezcal cocktails forward too,” says Nikhil Agarwal, sommelier, and partner.

A niche market

“Tequila’s international recognition, availability, and appeal make it an attractive addition, catering to a wide, cosmopolitan clientele,” says Sunny Sara, co-founder, The Ribbon Room Bar & Tequileria, Mumbai. It is this reason that compelled them to focus on a bar that highlights this spirit. “The interest and demand for agave-based drinks reflects a broader trend in the exploration of unique and complex flavours, as consumers seek innovative and refined taste experiences beyond traditional options.” India’s booming culinary space is seeing a rise in the number of restaurants and bars dedicated to agave spirits, and/or tequila.
Goa has Barfly, which launched in August with an exclusive agave bar. “The consumer is becoming more adventurous and experimental in terms of spirits and we saw a demand for tequila and mezcal cocktails,” says co-founder, Karrtik Dhingra. He, too, has moved from drinking whiskey to tequila because “the drinking experience is better. I don’t feel heavy and bloated, and it feels like a ‘healthier option’”. Over in Pune is a tequila bar, Juju. “High-quality, aged tequilas are appealing to connoisseurs and those seeking a more refined, culturally rich drinking experience,” says co-founder Karan Khilnani. In Delhi, Agave Hospitality began their journey with tequila many years back with Arriba, a Mexican Grill & Tequileria. They call it ‘Delhi’s first tequila bar’, and followed it up with the Mexican restaurant, Miss Margarita (in Delhi and Goa). “Over the past year, tequila and agave have taken the Western world and Europe by storm, becoming one of the most highly desired spirits for customers and mixologists,” says Noah
Barnes, head chef and co-Founder, Miss Margarita.“Just as the gin revolution reshaped the cocktail scene, we are currently witnessing a Tequila Revolution.”

Going beyond shots

One of the biggest misconceptions linked to tequila is that it’s only meant for shots. Not anymore. Mixologists and bars are having fun with this versatile spirit, creating exciting and innovative drinks.
Juju’s menu pairs tequila with spicy mole, cucumber, ancho peppers, taco mix, even absinthe. The Ribbon Room has drinks
ike Guyaba Punch (tequila with guava) and El Mango (mezcal and mango). Barfly’s agave bar has ten cocktails on the menu including signatures like El Gusano (Fandango Mezcal, Wild Turkey, watermelon, soy), Caprese (Patron Resposado, cherry
tomatoes, basil), and Arabica (Jose Cuervo gold, kahlua, coffee,
lactose).The bar at Los Cavos in Mumbai, is focused on tequila,
mezcal and pisco. One of the signatures is Oaxacan Treasure, with smoky Fandango Mezcal infused with dark chocolate and
black raisins, and Amaro Montenegro. “Agave is really a great spirit and simultaneously delicate for cocktail experiments,” says assistant general manager, Pratik Keer. Expectedly, margarita remains a hot favourite. Miss Margarita offers more than 30 different margaritas, made with cucumber, gondhoraj, agave, jamun, kaffir lime, pickled beetroot brine, and hibiscus. The signatures are Frozen Coconut Margarita and Grogurita (basil, Mandalorian Agave).
The first cocktail Fay Barretto made in life was a margarita. Today, as the founder of bartending collective, Mr Bartender & The Crew, he makes different twists on them. Barretto has worked on the menu for Gigi’s and Tijuana in Mumbai, both of which have separate tequila bars, and Kaia in Goa. “While the gins were stepping back, tequila was the next spirit to rise up. A lot of people are going for the picante style, like a spicy savoury angle to the cocktails, or margaritas, or just consuming tequila with water or soda,” he says. The best-selling drink at Kaia is Man Gone Going, a Margarita-style drink with some complexity: a raw mango infusion, a liqueur of ripened mango and sticky rice, and a rim that’s a mix of Aldona and Colva chillies with green spices, and an edible mango leaf garnish. At a recent Halloween event at Nava, Mumbai, he made Queen of the Gods — using tequila, pomegranate liqueur, agave, and kharwas.
“Mezcal is gaining popularity among those looking for a more artisanal and unique agave experience,” says Sachin Yadav, head mixologist at Mumbai’s Mezcalita Cantina y Tequila Bar. The bar focuses on mezcals, tequilas and agaves and standout drinks are Cha Chinga (tequila, agave, charred cucumber, jalapeno) and Tulum Tamale (tequila, ancho chilli and charred corn) besides margaritas, and Mezcalised Classics, which are to “show people that you can also drink this spirit in your favourite drink, not just with ice or soda”.

Looking ahead

It seems quite evident that agave spirits, homegrown and imported, are finding a new and growing consumer base in India. But, there are challenges. A growing demand worldwide has led to agave shortages and higher production costs. Many restaurateurs and owners mention shortages of certain premium products. Growing agave for tequila takes years (seven years and above) and the process from plant to bottle is quite complex and laborious.
Prakash is surprised to see the trends in the market moving towards very expressive brands and anejo tequilas, both of which are not the norm in native country of origin, Mexico. “When you zoom out, tequila or even gin is a negligible part of the overall spirits’ market. It is tiny compared to whiskey. It’s not going to alter the course of alco-bev in the country or significantly contribute to any measurable dollar value. It is creating a buzz in a certain section of society,” he says. But, the growing interest is likely to lead to more specialty agave/ tequila bars, and an increase in imports. Pistola has gone global. DesmondJi’s agave spirits (sold as Indian agave) can be found in Scandinavia, and the US. In India, they recently entered Hyderabad.
Khilnani believes the growing interest in tequila and agave spirits could encourage more homegrown agave producers to explore the market.“This interest in agave spirits is reshaping the industry and fostering a culture of appreciation for these distinctive and culturally-rich beverages.” The 30 Best Bars report says, ’Agave is poised where gin was 5 years ago – readying itself for the top of the charts’. We raise our margarita glasses to that.

You may also read: 7 of the world’s most expensive wines