When about a year back, during a house party, a woman walked in with her own bottle of tequila and poured it in a flute glass, I was a tad surprised. For me, tequila was all about the shot of shame—to be gulped down with lime and salt as a ritual to end a night of drunken debauchery with your girl gang in your 20s.  

Over the last decade, tequila has rebranded itself from a party spirit consumed in shots to a premium sipping spirit enjoyed neat or with a block of ice. And it is experiencing an unprecedented boom in India—the premium tequila market is expected to grow to $5.83 million (Rs 48.7 Crore) by 2031 at a CAGR of 7.45 per cent. While there is a focus on luxury spirits in general and agave cocktails are having a moment, what also helps is that tequila, with its spice-tinged smooth, sweet, and fruity flavour profile, pairs very well with Indian cuisines. Moreover, being a ‘clean’ choice, it has become a go-to for a growing number of health-conscious consumers and the mindful drinking enthusiasts—agave doesn’t cause blood sugar spike, neat tequila has less sugar and fewer calories, and if it’s of good quality, chances are that you won’t wake up with a headache the next morning.   

One of the emerging key players in this segment is PATRÓN, the iconic tequila brand which is part of Bacardi Limited’s portfolio. Recently, it launched its most premium tequila—Patrón El Alto—in India setting a fresh benchmark in the luxury spirit market. Made from the finest 100 per cent Weber Blue Agave grown in the highest parts of Jalisco, Mexico, it is a sumptuous blend of perfectly aged extra añejo, añejo and reposado tequilas and is crafted in small batches using just three ingredients—agave, water, and yeast.   

We caught up with Jonas Gustav Ax, Head of Advocacy for Bacardi India and Neighbouring Countries, who leads the brand’s advocacy, education, and bartender engagement strategy across the region, at the exclusive launch event in Mumbai. The swede, who has a five-year-long association with Patrón, had started his career by working at a high-energy cocktail bar in London about 20 years back and has worked in countries like Sweden, Dubai, Spain, the UK, and Malaysia, before coming to India. Excerpts:  

How do you see tequila evolving from a shot drink into a sipping spirit?  

So, there are essentially two types of tequila. The ones common in the party scene for shots are ‘mixto’ tequila. These arrived in the ‘80s. Mixto tequila has 51 per cent agave…the other 49 per cent of it can be from any other neutral spirit. It is an easier spirit to turn out quick and cheap. Then you have the 100 per cent blue agave spirits. These are a bit more expensive and more in the luxury space. You drink it more like your single malts and cognacs. We at Patron are now trying to show the world that tequila is a premium liquid with heritage.  

What is your take on Agave spirits, especially tequila, having a moment in India?  

Agave spirits have been huge in South America and Mexico for centuries now. But it is only recently that people in other parts of the world have started experimenting with it. As far as tequila is concerned, it is fairly accessible, very ‘vegetably;, easy to drink. The alcohol scene in India has evolved significantly in the last 3-4 years in general. I think a lot of talent that went abroad started coming back during the pandemic. Some of them then started opening bars. India was already riding on the gin craze, so it was very easy for tequila to kind of fit into the existing cocktail menus. Some bars changed maybe two or three of their cocktails from gin to tequila while some started doing completely new tequila sections. It has been very interesting to see how quickly the Indian bars took to tequila. It didn't even happen with gin so quickly; it was gradual. But with tequila, it was very, very quick. I think one of the major reasons is that it is a spirit that is made in Mexico—it is made for the Mexican climate; it's made for the Mexican food and spices. And that is fairly similar to what you have in India; both the countries have similar flavour sensibilities. Tequila pairs very well with spicy food. I think that is one reason why India has taken to tequila so quickly and so massively.   

So, what kind of Indian food pairs well with tequila?   

I love pairing mountainous food, especially when it comes to El Alto. It comes from Jalisco Highlands of Mexico and has its soul there. And that terrain is quite similar to that of the hill stations here. Apart from that, black pepper and chillies pair very well with tequila. Then you have your dried fruits like figs and apricots. Something that's delicate, has its own character, but is not necessarily overpowering, works well with tequila.  

But why do you think it took India so long to wake up to the ‘tequila sunrise’?  

I think everything goes in waves, especially when it comes to spirits—you had your gin wave, your vodka wave, of course whiskey's always been there. People got used to drinking white spirits and moved to premium options. That kind of paved the way for gin and everything then came together to create this tequila moment.  People are used to drinking long refreshing drinks with white spirits, and tequila really hits the spot there. Now, we're looking at drinking it as an aged spirit along the lines of whiskey here in India. I'm not sure why it took so long, but the whole world seems to be waking up to it now. I think Mexicans wanted to keep their secrets for themselves!  

What kind of programmes Patrón has for India’s tequila market?  

The bartenders here are well-travelled and already experts. The consumers are upskilling—they have been drinking tequilas everywhere in the world. We have a lot happening at Patrón to cater to the market and help it grow further.  We are doing chef interactions. We are partnering with local chefs and creating pairing menus with our tequila, not necessarily cocktails, but food items that complement the flavours of the tequila. We have an advanced tequila training programme where people sit down and deconstruct the tequila starting from the flavour of agave. And much more.

As a tequila virgin, what should one keep in mind while buying that first bottle?   

100 per cent blue agave printed on the bottle—this is crucial. Then you need to decide if you want to go for aged or non-aged spirit. Patrón Silver is non-aged and has not touched the oak of the barrels—it is pure agave. Blancos work really well in cocktails. They go with soda water and are very refreshing. If you are going for the aged variety, you have Patrón El Alto and Patrón Añejo. These are to be had like you drink your whiskey, with ice maybe. It all depends on how you prefer your drink.  

Can please your share your go-to picante recipe? 

I love picantes. It is a twist on the Spicy Margarita, and it was created by Chris Ojeda at Soho House. The beauty of it is that you have a spice in it—it can be jalapeño, chillies, bhut jolokia of the Northeast works great. I like to add some tropical fruit like a mango, a passion fruit, or a guava, to it as it takes the picante to a different level. Because if you only have spice and tequila, you get a very mono flavour, but if you add a tropical fruit, you'll have a very beautiful drink. It is very easy to make. You double measure your tequila—I would opt for Reposado for a picante. Add as much chili as you want…in India you pour with the heart! You can use some coriander—it is a nice addition. Add a bit of lime and your tropical fruit. And shake it. You can even put it in a blender... but blend it just a little and then strain it. And there you have a beautiful picante!