I remember first meeting Alex Lacroix at a now defunct Mexican restaurant in the distillery district of Toronto for a media event introducing a new tequila to me in 2015-ish. This was before I had ever really explored Mexico – not the beaches and resorts we all love, but Mexico City, Oaxaca and the interior that truly define the soul of a country I could see myself calling home. Where I truly learned about the artistry behind Mezcal and Tequila, which one day years later would become my favourite of all. And at the top of that list, Siempre Tequila would find its way into my heart and never leave.
Flash forward to 2022 just a few weeks before the holidays and a box arrived on my front door. With Siempre Plata Tequila well established at a leader in the tequila world, Siempre Anejo Tequila with it’s smokey sexiness and complexity, and my personal favourite Siempre Reposado Tequila all (almost) on the shelves of LCBO and available to be ordered online in Canada, my heart immediately started to pound.
Earlier this year, the brand itself had seen a lot of growth in the US thanks to the hard work of Monica, Alex and every member of the Siempre family going person-to-person and bar-to-bar in an effort to show what their product really was.
I have become friends with their team over the years and had admired – with a certain sense of FOMO – an adoration for their success. Alex jokes around that I was one of the first media outlets to share about their product and their dream to make a tequila like no other. I remember it more as meeting people who loved what they were doing more than anyone I had ever met. This was their world outside of their family and their love for one another, and I felt it. It became a part of me. And had I been better (and smarter) with money over the last ten years, I would have invested heavily in them because I knew they were destined for greatness.
When I opened the box with my name hand written on the side from Jalisco, Mexico I knew what was in it. I had been pestering their socials (now verified, with a slogan and an essence that can only be described as rebellious in the face of big name Tequila) to please tell me how to get their fourth, fifth and sixth releases in Canada.
We may be saving for a baby, but I was ready to drop some serious money on these limited edition bottles as both a super fan and a lover of tequila. If you follow @siempretequila on Insta (which if you aren’t, you should) you’ll see that tastings are happening all over the world. Tequila lovers and aficionados alike are getting to experience something quite exclusive, and all of sudden, I had bottles that most Canadians will never have the chance to taste.
Siempre Tequila Vivo Blanco “is a unique tequila that utilizes an old Hispanic-Peruvian production method of distilling live yeast. The Siempre Founders, Adam Fodor (Founder of International Tequila Academy) and Master Distiller Sergio Cruz teamed up to make this special edition blanco.”
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This special tequila has a very fresh and clean nose. The dominant scent is buttery cooked agave followed by some celery, minerals and oily lemon and lime citrus zest. There’s a slight hint of anise and alcohol (47.5 ABV). This still strength blanco is a full bodied and complex offering. This viscous potation is very buttery. The cooked agave is front and center. That’s followed by some green mellon, lime, soft vegetal notes, grapefruit rind, thin honey, minerals, white pepper and fresh jalapeño on the finish. The finish is more savory than spicey but some fresh pepper lingers. It begs you to keep coming back for more.
Siempre Rebel Cask
“We use our wild fermented Supremo Plata tequila and fill it into barrels at still-strength. The barrels are a range of rare and interesting ones, spanning from New French Oak, XO Cognac, Ex-Bourbon to Sauternes. This is arguably the world’s smallest single barrel program. Catch a bottle if you can.”
And of course…
Siempre Supremo which completes the six bottles I will never touch and hopefully one day gets seconds of on my travels to sip on the perfect occasion.
“We take supremo agaves and bake them in traditional brick ovens using locomotive-style steam to heat. Once fully cooked, they are unloaded and crushed using a tahona (large wheel made of volcanic stone).” — These bottles have become collectors items and a stamp in time of the journey Siempre Tequila and its team have taken since that cloudy day on the patio of a Toronto restaurant.
While I want to say all of them will be available soon, I encourage you all to google how to buy them now and order them before they are gone. And of course, enjoy Plato, Reposado and Anejo at your local LCBO when you see them. Because I can attest that every time I find them, they sell out quickly.
I liken the evolution of this brand to many stories of hard work, dedication, passion and a pure belief that what they are doing could make a difference. Almost ten years later, it is making a difference around the world and I am so proud to share this blog post and my love for them with you all.
Don’t forget to tag @dothedaniel in your stories, tweets and posts as well so I can hear what you think!
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Photos: Daniel Reyes Cocka and aforementioned participating brands
Don’t forget to be kind & laugh a little more this year
Mobile photos were taken with my Mobile Device of choice on the Rogers network.
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