“Every bartender brings a completely different interpretation of how that tequila serve comes to life, and we couldn’t be more excited and proud to see these opportunities continue to grow across the community.”

When Patrón Tequila first made its way onto shelves around 1989, tequila was still largely misunderstood around the world – more associated with late-night party shots than luxury sipping spirits. Yet two savvy entrepreneurs, John Paul DeJoria and Martin Crowley, sensed something shifting beneath tequila’s salt-rimmed surface. They noticed that consumers were ready for something better.

Fast forward just three decades, and Patrón is nothing short of iconic – instantly recognisable on bars from Manhattan to Manila. It is astonishing to consider how a relative newcomer could reshape perceptions of tequila globally.

The secret behind Patrón’s swift and steady ascent lies in its popularisation of premium artisanal tequila at a time when the industry was grappling with inconsistent quality. Patrón’s insistence on the designation of "100% agave tequila" set a new benchmark for the premium tequila category, paving the way for the tequila category to be finally perceived as a luxury spirit in the United States and beyond.

Exactly what "100% agave tequila" entails today is a fascinating conversation all on its own– one you can delve deeper into here in our writeup on the masterclass conducted by Patrón, What Sets Real 100% Agave Tequila Apart? Patrón’s Additive-Free Tequila Masterclass Gives us a Taste of the Truth. For now, suffice it to say, Patrón commits to additive-free tequila production using traditional methods at scale, even when many other producers do not necessarily produce completely pure tequila.

Last month, I had the privilege of attending a Patrón Advanced Tequila Training and also having a taste of Patrón's exciting new luxury expression, Patrón El Alto–a refined blend of several aged tequilas.

The Training was conducted by none other than Lauren Mote, the brand’s dynamic Global Director of On Trade Excellence. Lauren is a remarkable figure in the North American bartending scene. She is, after all, an acclaimed bar mentor, author of the celebrated A Bartender’s Guide to the World: Cocktails and Stories from 75 Places, and a passionate steward of the prestigious Patrón Perfectionists global bartending competition and educational program.

Afterwards, I sat down with Lauren to delve further into the dynamics shaping Patrón’s continued evolution and its unparalleled cultural resonance.

We discussed Patrón’s intriguing “Big-Brand, Tiny-Batch” paradox that even many fans do not know about: how, despite its towering global stature, Patrón remains committed to the very same hand-intensive workflow and meticulous small-batch recipe it started with over 35 years ago. We discussed why Patrón emphatically maintains its zero-additive stance to showcase the authentic terroir of Mexico this is in an industry where even "100% agave" labels can often mask the usage of flavouring additives.

We discussed Patrón’s fascinating cultural ubiquity achieved without relying on cheque-book celebrity endorsements, and instead having genuinely organic celebrity shout-outs that reflect an authentic love for the brand rather than sponsored hype.

Finally, we discussed the broader narrative of tequila’s rise as part of a significant cultural export wave driven by Mexico's powerful soft influence. Tequila is not merely a trending spirit, but a key player within a larger cultural phenomenon reshaping global perceptions of Mexican heritage, cuisine and craftsmanship.

Below is our full conversation on Patrón’s journey and its relationship with bartenders, drinkers, and culture at large!

Follow Lauren Mote: Instagram | Linktree

Follow Patrón’s Official Channels: Patrón Instagram | Academia Patrón x Patrón Perfectionists Instagram

“If we bring anything new forward, it becomes a combination of: what are bartenders looking for that’s missing from their repertoire or that they really love? And what is the consumer looking for–whether they’re excited to learn more about tequila, or on the other hand, learning more about luxury spirits?”

– Lauren, on Patrón Tequila’s approach to introducing new expressions of tequila.

[88B]: Patrón has for the past three-and-a-half decades been focusing on high-quality additive-free Tequila produced using traditional methods. Along the way Patrón has also moved into tequila liqueurs, well-aged anejo’s like the Burdeos and Piedra that explores the use of exotic casks for ageing, and then more recently the El Cielo and El Alto, as well as the Cristalino. 

What’s the guiding philosophy for Patrón as it continues to create these new expressions? 

[Lauren]: I think what makes Patrón really special, and what has been special since the beginning, for 35 years, is that the original recipe we made with Patrón, with our original Master Distiller Francisco Alcaraz, has always been small batch. So everything we went through today in the master class, set up ahead of our advanced tequila training, is still made the same way it was 35 years ago.

And you said it exactly right– the ubiquity of the brand. Everybody knows Patrón. It’s in every bar, on every back bar, on every menu around the world.

I think the most exciting thing about Patrón, as we continue to grow and innovate, is that innovation and craftsmanship go hand in hand. We can come out with things that are new, exciting, and interesting, that definitely create buzz within the tequila industry. And because we are a well-known brand and label, people always listen. But I think they also discover the craft side of what we do: that we are made with only three natural ingredients–blue agave, water, yeast. Plus time spent in wood in the case of barrel-aged expressions.

So I think the most exciting discovery about Patrón is that it's made by hand, by people. Whenever we're talking about the future of the tequila category– El Alto, El Cielo– you talked about a lot of these already. It's so exciting that we can confidently stand behind it and say: after 35 years, Patrón is still leading the way in terms of innovation in tequila, and we are still celebrating the people behind the brand who are making every individual component by hand, in the same way it was made 35 years ago.

I think as a brand as big as Patrón, we’re already maxed out in terms of our artisanal production– the way we make things now comes from a very traditional point of view: hand-harvesting the agave, loading it into ovens by hand, roasting for 79 hours, low and slow. And then we use both of our milling methods: Tahona and roller mill.

We use over 700 fermentation tanks, using pine wood. Every method we use is already about exploring the best possible outcome through the best possible choices in production.

From hand harvesting agaves that's transported by donkey, to employing the use of a volcanic rock tahona wheel to crush the agave that's cooked for days in a traditional brick oven, and then fermenting the agave in open top wooden pine vats, to finally distilling the agave in copper stills - Patron is far more traditional than it lets on.

So I think, for us, if we bring anything new forward, it becomes a combination of: what are bartenders looking for that’s missing from their repertoire or that they really love? And what is the consumer looking for–whether they’re excited to learn more about tequila, or on the other hand, learning more about luxury spirits?

Tequila has been having its moment for probably the last 15 to 20 years, and it continues to grow. But where tequila is really having its moment is in starting to recruit consumers from other luxury spirit categories, people who have traditionally been drinking Scotch whiskies, Cognacs, or other products that represent a luxury lifestyle are now starting to discover that they can have a similar experience with tequila.

For us at Patrón, we've had our Gran Patrón line for a very long time: the Gran Patrón Platinum, the Gran Patrón Burdeos, the Gran Patrón Piedra–which have always been part of our lineup, offering that luxury experience. Even the bottles are shaped somewhat like Cognac bottles.

With the recent introduction of Patrón El Cielo, El Alto, and Cristalino in some markets, we're now bringing Patrón into that luxury space very officially. If you love Scotch whisky or blended whiskies, you will absolutely love El Alto, which is also a blend of our finest aged tequilas. And for folks who love white spirits or vodkas–something for that daytime moment–then El Cielo becomes the luxury and prestige liquid of that occasion.

We’re just really excited to see how bartenders are falling in love with the journey of tequila and also where the consumer is going. We want to make sure that we always have a Patrón expression available that’s appropriate for that occasion, while always staying true to our traditional methods of production.

“We don’t use additives. It’s not always the first thing we lead with in conversation, but it’s important to mention.”

[88B]: Another interesting aspect where Patrón stands apart from other Tequila makers is that the brand has pretty much grown organically, without much (or any at all) reliance on paid endorsement from celebrity figures, from the likes of Wolfgang Puck to Bruce Springsteen who would very publicly show their love for Patrón. That in part marked Patrón’s rise to stardom.

Conversely Patrón has done much to help support the bartending community, and has hosted numerous competitions to promote the industry, and so if there’s any sponsorships to be had, it’s the bartenders who are getting to be brand ambassadors. 

From a marketing standpoint, how does Patrón see this ecosystem of how it would like to be promoted ideally? Is there in mind an ideal pathway where Patrón wants to be seen and enjoyed – what does Patrón want to be in the eyes of its consumers?

[Lauren]: Patrón is all about people. We talked about the 2,500 people who make Patrón: it's the largest employer in all of Tequila. People are very important to us as a brand. They always have been. And also, at Bacardi, people–our primos, the cousins–are one of the guiding three principles of the company. So everything related to keeping people at the forefront is absolutely primary.

Our partnerships and the people who love to talk about Patrón– all of that is very organic for us. We have a program called our Agave Familia, which includes influencers and well-known figures in the industry who are part of our world—like Becky G and Sergio “Checo” Pérez, the Formula One driver. We have so many amazing people who are Patrón partners through our Agave Familia.

From the trade point of view, bartenders are also part of our Agave Familia. You don't have to be the most well-known bartender in a city or bar to be part of our world. We have opportunities for every bartender to be part of our education and part of the Agave Familia. We provide resources and education to everyone–as long as they have a working internet connection. They don’t even need to be with us in person.

And then, when it comes to competitions and the role our brand ambassadors play–our ambassadors are an extension of the brand. Because we’re so focused on celebrating the people who make this incredible product with incredible ingredients, the brand ambassadors become part of that extended family.

So, for example, today I’m standing in front of you, waxing poetic about what we do at Patrón–not just because it’s different, but because we’re so proud of it. We're so confident in the processes and the choices we make as a brand that lead to this incredible final product, whether you're using it in a Paloma, a Margarita, or enjoying it neat. We’re incredibly proud of that. And as brand ambassadors, it’s a true pleasure to be the extension of the people who make this product, and also of the wider Mexican culture.

When it comes to competitions bartenders are always finding unique opportunities to put their creativity forward. They might be inspired by what they learn at a Patrón masterclass or from visiting another bar. They take that inspiration, whether it’s their love for certain ingredients, sustainability, local produce, food pairings, or even occasion-based serves, and create something unique. There are never two examples that are the same. Every bartender brings a completely different interpretation of how that tequila serve comes to life, and we couldn’t be more excited and proud to see these opportunities continue to grow across the community.

Specifically here in Singapore, we have the Patrón Masters Program, which celebrates the Patrón Margarita and the Patrón Paloma. We're really excited to see what creative directions the bartenders take after that.

And lastly, for the consumer, we're just so excited that there are so many great bars and bartenders crafting incredible cocktails and ritual serves with our brand. The consumers are the ultimate beneficiaries. They get to come in, talk with the bartenders, try some of the most exceptional cocktails, and taste the spirit on its own.

Through our brand ambassadors training bartenders, we ensure that the quintessential things that make Patrón unique are passed on to the consumer, so the guest at the bar can truly taste the quality of our product.

[88B]: Patrón has reshaped many aspects of the Tequila industry, from being an early champion of being additive free with its “Tequila 100% De Agave” label, to helping pave the way for the premium Tequila segment to exist in proper, and even helping to bring consumers away from seeing Tequila as something to only be enjoyed in the form of shots and instead as something to savour. 

Having successfully made all of that happen, what does Patrón hope to change about the Tequila industry into the future? 

[Lauren]: I think the primary thing we’re most passionate about at Patrón–and this comes through whenever we speak to anyone, whether it’s a bartender, a guest at the bar, media, or journalists–is that we’re deeply committed to three things.

First, we are made by hand. We want to celebrate the 2,500 people who make our product in Mexico in small batches, by actual people. No robots, no mechanical shortcuts.

Second, we use only three natural ingredients: blue agave, water, and yeast. For our aged expressions, the fourth element is time spent in barrels.

And lastly, we’re made using traditional methods, from how we harvest our agave, to how we cook it, to milling, fermenting, distilling, bottling, and aging the product.

Those three elements: handcrafted production, natural ingredients, and traditional methods, are the most important things about Patrón.

We don’t use additives. It’s not always the first thing we lead with in conversation, but it’s important to mention. There’s been a lot of discussion across the 100% de Agave tequila category about whether or not brands are using additives.

We can’t speak to what other brands are doing, but we can say with confidence that Patrón does not use additives. And we’re very proud to be made by hand, using only three ingredients and traditional methods at scale. That’s something that makes us extremely proud.

“We just want to make sure that when you’re drinking Patrón, when you taste Patrón, you taste the flavour profile and the terroir of Mexico.”

[88B]: Could you also share with us a little known fact about Patrón?

[Lauren]: Every single bottle of Patrón is made on-site at Hacienda Patrón. Hacienda Patrón is a working facility and distillery that operates under one NOM number: 1492.

Every bottle of Patrón—whether it’s here in Singapore, or in a local cantina in Mexico, or anywhere else in the world—is touched by 62 hands. That’s because everything is done by hand, and everything is made on-site at Hacienda Patrón.

Bottling line at the Patrón Tequila distillery (Source: J Micallef)

“The three most important things about a Paloma: it’s got to be carbonated, it’s got to have Patrón Reposado, and it’s got to have grapefruit in some capacity. Everything else is in the eye of the beholder. You can get as creative as you like to bring it to life.”

[88B]: Getting on to the event at hand, that is Paloma Day, tell us more about why there’s a rising groundswell of support to make Paloma’s more popular? As an expert on cocktails, having authored the book “A Bartender’s Guide to the World”, could you define for us what makes a perfect Paloma? 

[Lauren]: The Paloma is a really cool cocktail. I think, for years and years, people have been so focused on the Margarita, it’s still the number one tequila cocktail on this planet, for sure.

But the Paloma is different. It uses a different citrus profile. we’re now talking about grapefruits and limes, instead of just limes like in the Margarita. The Margarita is meant to be a punchy, short cocktail: a punchy, short “daisy,” which is the style of cocktail it is, and it really highlights fresh, zesty blanco or silver tequilas.

The Paloma, on the other hand, showcases a sessionable, longer serve. And we know a lot of people today are reaching for longer, easy-drinking cocktails. So, the Paloma is now taking the starring role in that long-drink trend. It’s more mindful, it typically has a lower alcohol content, but it really shines when made with Patrón Reposado.

Patrón Reposado is aged primarily in second-fill American oak barrels– used bourbon barrels– and aged between five and eight months. That aging starts to bring out flavour components you don’t get in a silver tequila. It adds a smoother mouthfeel from time in oak, and brings in baking spices and softer notes, which also comes through in the grapefruit.

So that’s why we’re using Patrón Reposado in our Paloma. It’s a unique expression of the cocktail in the way we’re bringing it to life.

Right now, we’re in Singapore, in a tropical climate, and there’s nothing better than sitting down with a long drink that slowly dilutes, with zesty lime and grapefruit, a bit of salt, and that amazing Patrón Reposado. It’s absolutely the drink of the moment.

We’re starting to see the Paloma gain traction globally, especially with Paloma Day on May 22^nd where we’ve launched a global campaign with Fairmont Hotels, Fairmont Singapore is one of the first locations, and we’ve had a 24-hour global Paloma party that spanned six different locations around the world: Singapore, Prague, Mexico City, Dubai, London, and Los Angeles.

We’re really excited to see how each location will interpret the Paloma in their own way. Beyond that, every bartender and every brand ambassador will be singing La Paloma from the rooftops. It’s not just about May which is Paloma Month, it’s happening all around the year, making sure the Margarita and the Paloma continue to be the two most iconic tequila cocktails in the world.

[88B]: And to that end, what’s the most crazy take on a Paloma you’ve seen so far? 

[Lauren]: The three most important things about a Paloma: it’s got to be carbonated, it’s got to have Patrón Reposado, and it’s got to have grapefruit in some capacity. Everything else is in the eye of the beholder. You can get as creative as you like to bring it to life.

So I have two examples to share with you.

A bartender named Billy Ranchez, who is the Patrón Perfectionists winner of last year from the Philippines. He created the winning Patrón Paloma from the Patrón Perfectionists Global Finals.

He won the challenge, and he used a combination of vinegar, local barbecue sauce, grapefruit, Patrón Reposado, and he built it in such a way that it was the most unbelievably delicious Paloma. It had the right acidity, vinegar, umami, and he paired that with a local serve of their grilled meats with vinegar, citrus, and sugar.

We’ve seen anything from the most out-of-this-world, creative, outside-the-box thinking on how to create a Paloma that’s purposely paired with food, all the way to, say, Liverpool in the UK, where our global winner of Patrón Perfectionists, Nathan Price from Bar Glue, created a batch-carbonated serve that was meant to emulate a rosé wine. He used Patrón Reposado and grapefruit, and then multiple components, force-carbonated it, and served it out of a Champagne bottle.

We've seen some pretty extraordinary ways of bringing the Paloma to life. I mean, sky’s the limit.

“[There’s a misconception] that tequila doesn’t just go with Mexican food. Tequila goes with a wide range of things. It’s like saying you can only have Scotch with Scottish food. It’s not like every night when you’re drinking Scotch, you’re having a Robert Burns Night supper or something!”

[88B]: To your mind, what are the underlying trends that are making Tequila’s see this rise in popularity? What then needs to happen or change for the Tequila scene to be bigger and more popular than it already is today?

[Lauren]: I think people are obsessed with Mexico. For a long time, it was only associated with all-inclusive resorts. Maybe you’d travel there for vacation, have tequila and beer in a small cantina.

But now I think, because of the popularity of Mexico being seen as a destination that goes far beyond those components, things have shifted. We have a few people to thank for that. The show Chef’s Table on Netflix really helped highlight the cuisine and chefs of Mexico, the different ingredients, and it brought visibility to the many ways Mexico could be experienced.

Chefs Norma Listman and Saqib Keval who run Masala y Maiz, one of Mexico City's most renowned restaurants (Source: Chef's Table, Netflix)

There’s a close relationship between Mexico and the U.S., and trends that start in the U.S. tend to make their way around the world. So as the interest in Mexico, its craft spirits, food, bartenders, restaurants, and things outside the norm started to grow in the U.S., that began to impact global trends too.

Tequila has definitely benefited from that. And now mezcal, and other spirits from around Mexico. They’re even making grain spirits and doing all kinds of things that are pretty extraordinary.

And then lastly, I think because of this obsession with Mexico, we’ve had a lot of international people move to Mexico and start partnering with local establishments and business owners. That’s helped create this new Mexican bar and restaurant scene. Now we’re starting to see a Mexico unlike we’ve ever experienced before.

The number one bar in the world right now is in Mexico City, Handshake Speakeasy. We’re seeing so many tourists traveling to Mexico, and they’re eating more than just tacos and drinking beers and cheap shots in local cantinas. We’re having this moment of occasion and luxury. And it’s just really, really cool to see.

Handshake Speakeasy in Mexico City.

Your second question—what needs to happen or change for the tequila scene to become even bigger and more popular?

I think it’s just accessibility. We know tequila is popular. Singapore couldn’t be farther from Mexico, but there’s so much interest and excitement around tequila and Mexican culture.

I’ve walked by plenty of Mexican restaurants here. You’ve got places like Cat Bite Club, which focuses on agave and rice spirits. So I think there’s a lot of amazing work being done in cities around the world to make sure Mexican culture, and tequila and mezcal are appreciated.

Agave and rice spirits-forward bar Cat Bite Club in Singapore. 

But I think we just have to keep the pressure.

Our brand ambassadors are going to be really important in continuing to deliver master classes, and also for consumers, we need to give them the opportunity to come in, taste, and learn about tequila. So that’s what we need to do: increase education and opportunity.

[88B]: Finally, what are some key trends in Tequila that you think we should pay more attention to? And what’s a misconception about Tequila that you think should be demystified?

[Lauren]: There are a couple of trends. The first one is [to overcome the misconception] that tequila doesn’t just go with Mexican food. Tequila goes with a wide range of things. It’s like saying you can only have Scotch with Scottish food. It’s not like every night when you’re drinking Scotch, you’re having a Robert Burns Night supper or something! *Laughs*

So I think we need to move away from the stereotype that tequila is only to be consumed with Mexican products. The way we transcend that and really, truly become an international and global spirit, a global category is by looking at the creativity of chefs, bartenders, and consumers. How can everyone bring tequila into the moment they’re in? Because we have a product that fits every occasion.

We just want to keep pushing the boundaries of innovation and creativity with the people who are drinking tequila, to make sure it becomes part of the many different moments they’re living and working within.

One last trend in tequila: local ingredients. We want to see how tequila comes to life through local ingredients. Like, what are the local ingredients, dishes, and customs of Singapore, for example, that Patrón naturally finds its way into? I think that’s a really nice way of transcending beyond the “Mexico only” misconception, while still celebrating and appreciating Mexico.

The four approved additives that are used by many tequilas labelled "100% de agave". Patrón, however, insists on avoiding any use of additives.

A common misconception is that "100% de agave" tequila always means truly 100% de agave tequila. I think we want to make sure that when we’re talking about products like Patrón, we’re celebrating that it’s made by hand, that we use three ingredients– agave, water, and yeast–and that we use traditional methods at scale.

Everything that’s in the bottle is blue agave, water, and yeast. That’s it.

I think the discussion around additives is the important one linked to that. We just want to make sure that when you’re drinking Patrón, when you taste Patrón, you taste the flavour profile and the terroir of Mexico, and that it does right by the people who are working and building our product.

We just want to make sure that when you taste 100% de agave tequila from Patrón, that’s exactly what you’re getting. And it should taste like Mexico. And we hope you pair it with something beautiful and wonderful.

[88B]: Thank you for your time, Lauren! We’re privileged to share our conversation with one of tequila's most iconic producers.

@CharsiuCharlie