KAH TEQUILA IS NO.1 ULTRA-PREMIUM TEQUILA IN UK MULTIPLE GROCERS

 

 

AMBER BEVERAGE GROUP PREVIEWS ULTRA-PREMIUM ROOSTER ROJO MEZCAL AT PROWEIN

March 14, 2023

Amber Beverage Group (ABG) is to preview its first Mezcal spirit in the Rooster Rojo range. Described as ‘the real soul of Mexico’, the new ultra-premium spirit will be unveiled at ProWein giving delegates the first opportunity to view and to sample this extraordinary new drink. The new product will be available in Europe from the early Summer and so ProWein provides an opportunity for delegates to be the first to taste this Mezcal.

 

Agave spirits are on a significant upward trajectory and Mezcal will take the Rooster Rojo brand to a new level, offering customers a high-end product which will appeal to tequila and Mezcal aficionados and those consumers exploring this category for the first time. Mezcal offers both the on- and off-trade an expanded opportunity to sell agave spirits as Mezcal is more premium than tequila, more artisanal, and as supply for it is limited, margins are strong.

Mantas Zlatkus, Global Brand Director for Rooster Rojo Tequila, said “The project has been in progress for a long time already due to its complexity as Mezcal is subject to different regulations through different government controlling bodies in Mexico. The idea to extend the Rooster Rojo Tequila range with Mezcal has been a long-held ambition as it is a natural fit portraying the core of our brand character. I would describe it as bolder than tequila. The biggest international drinks fair is the best place to announce this important event for our brand.”

ProWein delegates will benefit from being able to meet senior ABG executives including the CEO, Jekaterina Stuge, the CMO Pepijn Janssens, and Mantas Zlatkus, and so the show provides an ideal opportunity to hold discussions with the team who have pioneered this exciting new launch. ABG will also be showcasing most of its other core brands. The stand will show the whole Rooster Rojo Tequila collection as well as KAH Tequilas, Moskovskaya Vodka, Riga Black Balsam products, Cross Keys Gin, and the Cosmopolitan Diva range. Meet the team at Rooster Rojo Mezcal Stand 13 A40, Spirits Hall, ProWein – 19-24 March 2023 in Dusseldorf, Germany.

Rooster Rojo Mezcal is a pure, traditionally hand-crafted Mezcal from Oaxaca. This authentic Mexican drink is created in the small craft distillery of Lopes Sosa Palenque in Oaxaca, Mexico with which ABG is partnering for this venture. Mantas Zlatkus added: “This is a traditional product with a modern take and amplifies all the best features of a Mezcal. We believe we managed to create something unique, as with our tequilas. Our aim was to maximise flavour whilst at the same time creating a spirit that is as smooth as possible. We wanted to add more character to the drink to make it noble and serious, but without sacrificing the smoothness of the product, so the structure was achieved by increasing the ABV to 43% which gives our Mezcal that traditional ‘kick’ that Mezcal lovers expect.”

Mezcal is a precious liquid and nearly all Mezcals are hand-crafted using the traditional tahona wheel and manual work. The liquid is made using underground ovens to cook the agaves which have been cultivated for seven years. Copper pot stills, sealed with local clay, are used for the distillation of this precious artisanal liquid whilst open wooden vats, covered with agave fibres, are used for fermentation.

Each bottle of Rooster Rojo Mezcal is signed by the Maestro mezcalero (the master Mezcal maker) Rodolfo Lopez Juan, authenticating the product to assure people that the correct production processes have been followed. The methods are passed down from generation to generation and the Master distiller learnt his craft from his father who founded this distillery.

The dark, traditional clay bottle prevents the liquid being affected by direct sunlight and is said to ensure, following a traditional local belief, that the Mezcal must not be visible to the ‘bad eye’ before being consumed.

In Mexican culture, Mezcal is a valued and rare drink kept to mark special occasions. It is considered to be a gift from the sun, as the energy which was captured by the agave plants over many years is released in a pure liquid expression. It must not be consumed in a rush, but with respect ensuring that people enjoy every sip of it, understanding how much work and know-how go into its production.

Once available, Rooster Rojo Mezcal will be sold in 75cl bottles in the USA and 70cl bottles in the rest of the world. Initially, it will be distributed in the Baltics, the UK, Spain, Italy, Greece, Australia, and the USA.

The perfect serve for Rooster Rojo Mezcal is neat, at room temperature from an authentic Mexican mezcal shot glass. This spirit can also be enjoyed in classic Mezcal cocktails.

It will be priced at approximately £50 (€56; $60US) per bottle.

Mantas Zlatkus concluded: “If consumers realised how much work and effort goes into delivering a bottle of Mezcal to your table, they would appreciate every drop of this precious liquid even more. It is not only about the liquid production itself with tiny production batches, manual work and special terroir, but the long years of cultivating the Agave plants in the burning sun of Oaxacan mountains, a remote and harsh location, and deliveries requiring an armed escort. Rooster Rojo Mezcal is the real thing, the real soul of Mexico, the gift from the Mexican people to the rest of the world.”

KAH EXTRA ANEJO TEQUILA IS A USA SUCCESS STORY ONE YEAR ON

February 28, 2023

Amber Beverage Group (ABG), which owns the one-of-a-kind KAH Tequila brand, has always chosen the USA for launches of this brand. Exactly a year after launching KAH Extra Anejo Tequila in the USA, the policy appears to be a sound decision. Research shows the USA leads the world in sales of premium- and ultra-premium tequilas.

 

The debut of the ultra-premium KAH aged expression, KAH Extra Anejo represented an important stage in the evolution of the brand’s portfolio, showcasing the Master Distiller’s ability to coax out higher levels of complexity in the agave resulting in an unforgettable distinctive aged spirit. ABG is one of the world’s most successful and fast-growing spirits companies, and KAH Tequila, crafted in Mexico from 100% agave, is one of its flagship brands in the USA and across the globe.

Evija Sparane, Global Brand Director for KAH Tequila at Amber Beverage Group, said: “Choosing to start all major launches for our KAH Tequila brand in the USA is paying off. The USA is where the audiences – both trade and consumers – are receptive to well-crafted, high-end tequilas. Quite simply, they understand what we do and what we do is to hand-craft tequilas of excellence that allow the agave taste notes to shine.”

According to IWSR data for the first half of 2022, the premiumization trend continued across the USA in the spirits category, in particular, with Tequila and Mezcal driving up the volumes. Agave-based spirits were one of the top three fastest-growing categories with premium and ultra-premium tequilas and mezcals seeing exceptional growth there. Growth is coming from new launches and established liquids. Strong double-digit growth between now and 2026 is expected in both the on-trade and off-trade.

KAH Extra Anejo is one of the finest examples of a beautifully made tequila and the quality of spirit which those who understand tequilas love to drink. This expression is a tribute to the time spent in cultivating the agave plant for years, the years spent aging and nurturing the spirit, and by the local community and team committed to creating a unique drink. It is made by maturing the liquid for a minimum of three years in white American Oak barrels. KAH Extra Añejo Tequila features smooth pepper and smoky wood flavors with hints of sweet spice, vanilla, honey maple, and caramel. The design of the bottle is also striking, as the bottle’s design uses a special phosphorus ink, so that elements of the design glow in the dark.

California-based Pacific Edge Wine & Spirits is the USA distributor for KAH Tequila. Joel K Beth, a director of Pacific Edge, said: “We were proud that ABG chose us to distribute this beautiful tequila brand in the all-important USA market. During 2023, we look forward to increasing distribution in existing states and to expanding the number of states where we sell this tequila brand.”

Evija Sparane added: “The tequila category is cluttered with many new brands, big and small, all competing for the attention of consumers in different ways. Amid this category ‘noise’, KAH aims to remain true to its core brand values.”

KAH Extra Anejo is available across USA, with the online retailer Caskers delivering to 30 states. California is the most significant in terms of sales volume for KAH. For USA trade sales, please, contact sales@pacificedgesales.com.

THE WORLD’S BEST BARTENDER TO CHAMPION ROOSTER ROJO TEQUILA

January 24, 2023

Amber Beverage Group (ABG), owner of the Rooster Rojo Tequila brand, has appointed World Bartender of the Year, Andrew Watson, as a Brand Champion. Andy Watson (33), originally from Sydney, Australia but now working and living in Sweden, won the prestigious IBA World Cocktail Championship¹ title in November 2022.

 

Andrew Watson faced competition from top professionals in sixty-four countries. He becomes IBA Ambassador in 2023 and will work with Rooster Rojo Tequila, which was the hero spirit in the cocktail that helped Andrew Watson reach the all-important finals – the aptly named ‘Rooster’s Pride’ which now is a fixture on the menu of his bar in Sweden and perhaps the most important cocktail creation of his life.

Recipe for Rooster’s Pride:

• 35 ml Rooster Rojo Reposado Tequila
• 45 ml Clarified Coconut Tincture (homemade)*
• 80 ml Cinzano Prosecco

Serve in a flute. *The tincture is made with coconut cream, coconut milk, citric acid, malic acid, lime peel, lemon juice, Palo santo (wood), sandalwood, smoked agave, and salt.

The careful choice of Rooster Rojo Tequila was critical, as for the semi-finals round the competitors could select any ingredients. Andrew Watson said: “The liquid has character. It takes centre stage as the backbone to a drink, and I knew that the liquid was authentic. I created the drink based upon the spirit. I sampled the range of Rooster Rojo Tequilas and decided that the Reposado would work perfectly for my vision of the cocktail. Rooster Rojo Reposado fitted the bill perfectly. I owe so much to this drink.”

Like many people in the drinks industry, he believes tequila is on an upwards trend. He gave a word of caution and a note of optimism for authentic brands. Andrew Watson said: “There are celebrities starting their own brands and spreading the word to the masses. However, with this rise in popularity, the market has been flooded with sub-standard liquids. This has presented an opportunity to quality brands to truly elevate themselves. A large part of why tequila is more popular these days, I believe, is the reformation of how tequila is consumed. Gone are the days of it being the shooting spirit; today tequila is being viewed as a premium liquid that deserves attention and understanding – about time too.”

Mantas Zlatkus, Global Brand Director of Rooster Rojo Tequila, commented: “We congratulate Andrew Watson on winning the prestigious World Bartender of the Year award. We are thrilled to be working with this creative, imaginative, and highly professional bartender and to name him as our Brand Champion. Rooster Rojo, which is available in five expressions, is an authentic Mexican, hand-crafted tequila. We launched a campaign called SIP DON’T SLAM and Andrew’s approach to selecting fine tequilas and treating these liquids with respect accords perfectly with our own ethos.”

Andrew Watson is no stranger to awards. He has already won six other national bartending contests² in Australia and in Sweden. This was his first international win.

Andrew Watson said: “Winning this award has been the most humbling and rewarding accomplishment in my career to date. From the start of the journey to today, Rooster Rojo has been present, even post championship. I am in the process of deepening my relationship with the brand and this goes to show what is possible when you work with like-minded individuals.”

He trained through the Merivale system in Sydney Australia, a trade institute. As well as working in his homeland of Australia, Andrew Watson also spent time in Lima, Peru, before moving to Sweden six years ago. He has worked in the bar-trade since the age of 17.

He says: “I started cleaning glasses to pay for university, and quickly fell in love with the creative side of bartending and the interpersonal relationships that I could form with co-workers and guests alike. I’ve tried leaving the trade twice, to pursue a teaching career, though I could never commit fully to life without bartending. I love this industry and all that it has provided for me and my family.”

He expressed pride in winning Bartender of the Year award, paying tribute to his colleagues and his wife. “First and foremost, a positive network around you matters. You really need to treat the opportunity with appreciation and professionalism – this means studying, training, practicing and not conforming to old stereotypes of bartender lifestyle. In my professional life, I am drawn to certain philosophies: the approach to drink creation and delivery, hospitality practices and how to carry oneself as a professional,” said Watson.

AMBER BEVERAGE GROUP LAUNCHES BEJEWELLED KAH TEQUILA HUICHOL LIMITED EDITION

January 18, 2023

Amber Beverage Group (ABG) has launched a new addition to its KAH Tequila range – KAH Huichol Limited Edition, a collection of extraordinary, hand-decorated, beaded bottles. The series of individually numbered bottles is named after the native Mexican tribe who are creating these artworks. The KAH Tequila brand is wholly owned by ABG and forms part of the fast-growing global beverage Group’s core brand range.



The limited-edition stock of just 600 bottles of KAH Extra Añejo Tequila is being released only in the USA. KAH Huichol is available via Caskers. Packaged in a 75cl bottle, this 100% Blue Weber Agave tequila from Mexico is a 80 proof (40% ABV) spirit.

The development of this KAH expression is truly impressive. Each bottle is adorned with 22,000 tiny beads, each applied by hand. It takes the craftspeople around 35 hours to complete the decoration of each bottle with designs based on symbols that reflect the deeply rooted cultural traditions of the Huichol tribe. The Huichol people live in the Sierra Madre Occidental Mountain range, in the North of Jalisco state, near the distillery where super-premium KAH is made.

The symbols include the sun, denoting power; the bird, meaning freedom or a messenger of the gods; the lizard, foreteller of the future; the Mezcal bloom, deemed to be the plant of life; and the deer, a life guide for humans.

Evija Sparane, Global Brand Director for KAH Tequila at Amber Beverage Group, said: “The tequila category is cluttered with many new brands, big and small, all competing for the attention of consumers in different ways. Amid this category ‘noise’, KAH aims to remain true to its core brand values by proudly displaying its heritage and provenance. Huichol Limited Edition is a perfect way to express the origins of the fine, hand-crafted liquid: packaging it within what is in effect a series of artworks seems fitting.”

AMBER BEVERAGE GROUP LAUNCHES ROOSTER ROJO AHUMADO TEQUILA AT BCB

September 26, 2022

The global spirits company, Amber Beverage Group, will launch an exciting fifth expression in its fast-growing Rooster Rojo Tequila range – an Ahumado (smoked) variant – at Bar Convent Berlin (BCB, 10-12 October 2022). BCB delegates will be amongst the first to have the opportunity to sample this tequila. The brand will then roll out in the USA, UK, South Africa, Australia, and the Baltic States in the Autumn and follows the highly successful launch in 2021 of another smoky tequila – its Rooster Rojo Smoked Pineapple expression.



Unlike the other tequilas in the collection, which are 38% ABV, the Ahumado is 40% ABV, enabling the taste notes of this extraordinary spirit to shine through. It will be sold in 75cl bottles for the USA and in a 70cl format for the rest of the world.

Mantas Zlatkus, the Global Brand Director of Rooster Rojo Tequila, said: “Rooster Rojo Ahumado is an extraordinary drink which has the best features of mezcal but at the same time is rather gentle, smooth, and highly drinkable as a sipping tequila. Ahumado is what I would call a ‘democratic liquid’ in that it will appeal to a wide range of tequila lovers. Its main advantages are that it captures the growing trend for smoky taste notes, just as our Smoked Pineapple Tequila does, and that it can be sipped neat. It also lends itself to any traditional mezcal or tequila cocktail.”

The recommended serve is neat, at room temperature (around 20 degrees Celsius), or with one ice cube. The brand also presents this in a cocktail called Smoky Mango or in a classic Margarita. There is a growing trend for smoked flavours.



This spirit is a Reposado tequila and is made by roasting the agave using an artisanal underground oven for 48 hours using stones heated with Mesquite firewood. The agave is first cut, then covered with dried agave fibre and the entrance to the oven is sealed with moistened earth. The roasted agave is balanced with traditionally cooked agave before being fermented and double distilled. It is then rested in oak barrels for at least two months, creating a masterfully balanced tequila which is smoky and complex, yet delicate and smooth. Like all Rooster Rojo Tequilas, it is made as all fine tequilas should be, with 100% Blue Weber Agave and designed to be sipped and not ‘slammed’.

Rooster Rojo Ahumado is a brand with a strong craft appeal as it uses traditional glass with the Rooster motif prominently etched into the bottle. Earlier this year, the brand launched a global advertising campaign designed to underline the fine qualities of the range with a headline of SIP DON’T SLAM.

The water used to complete the creation of Rooster Rojo Tequilas is filtered through Mexican silver, which gives the resulting liquid greater complexity, softness, and a gentle taste on the palate.

AMBER BEVERAGE GROUP EXPANDS TOP TEQUILA MANAGEMENT TEAM IN MEXICO

May 25, 2022

The global spirits producer and distributor, Amber Beverage Group (ABG), has appointed a Diageo veteran, David Tenorio,  to the role of Managing Director of its tequila distillery – Amber Production Tequila. In addition, Olegs Alainis, who has been with ABG since 2017, will in future be focusing his attention on ABG agave fields by becoming Managing Director of Amber Agave.

David Tenorio, Managing Director of Amber Production Tequila

 

ABG’s tequila brands, which include the Group’s core brands, Rooster Rojo® Tequila and KAH® Tequila, are successful across the world and the aim is that tequila capacity will increase still further. The company also produces other tequila brands at its Mexican production site, which is in the heart of tequila country, at the base of the Volćan de Tequila, a UNESCO-protected area.

Tenorio is well-versed in supply chain logistics and, specifically, tequila production. He previously worked for 10 years at Diageo, initially as Supply Sourcing Manager and going on to become Distillery Operations Director in Scotland and, most recently, Operation Readiness Director, where he was responsible for developing and launching the strategy for new operations in Mexico to expand Diageo’s tequila production.

“I warmly welcome David, who is a highly skilled beverage production specialist, to our global team. We are determined to forge new opportunities in our global tequila business, and I am confident that his knowledge and talents will contribute greatly to meeting that objective. I am also delighted that Olegs will continue to oversee the cultivation and harvesting of our key ingredient, high-quality blue weber agave plants. The new senior management arrangements will improve our processing and supply chain strategies as the business gains even greater momentum,” said Jekaterina Stuģe, CEO of Amber Beverage Group.

David Tenorio commented: “After 15 years of working in the food and beverage sector, I am so happy to and proud to be part of ABG and represent the tequila business that will play a major part in us becoming one of the top 10 most powerful spirits companies in the world, using our ‘rock star’ brands, Rooster Rojo and KAH. My aim as a new board member is to set all the tools in place to win through with tenacity, ensuring that the supply chain can guarantee speed and excellence in fulfilling on-trade and off-trade needs. I will also then start looking for new opportunities in Mexico, becoming a fierce competitor whilst never forgetting that fun comes first to entrepreneurs and believing in the importance of celebrating our success in whatever we do.”