Cocktails Distilled
Cocktails Distilled
Crafting the Soul of Tequila With Almave, a Non-Alcoholic Agave Spirit
Like so many of us, Formula 1 champion Lewis Hamilton has a fondness for Tequila, but also, like many of us, he understands the advantages of imbibing less.
But finding a good non-alc Tequila is not as simple as it sounds. So Hamilton did the next logical thing - he created his own.
In an endeavour to honour the tradition and craft of real Tequila, he partnered with Casa Lumbre, an innovative Mexican spirit company and its distiller and co-owner Ivan Saldaña.
The two them crafted Almave, which is marketed as the first non-alcoholic blue agave-based spirit distilled in Jalisco Mexico.
The liquid has been designed to provide an alcohol-free alternative without compromising traditional tequila's authentic taste and cultural essence.
To find out more, we talk to the distiller and co-owner of Casa Lumbre about Blue Agave and retaining the taste of Blue Agave without fermentation.
Tiff Christie (00:02.305)
Like so many of us, Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton has a fondness for tequila. But also, like so many of us, he understands the advantages in imbibing less. But finding a good non-alc tequila is not as simple as it sounds. So Hamilton did the next logical thing. He created his own. I'll say that again. He created his own. In an endeavour to honour the tradition and craft of real tequila, he partnered with Casa Lumbra, an innovative Mexican spirit company and its distiller and co-owner Ivan Saldana. The two of them crafted Almave, which is marketed as the first non-alcoholic blue agave-based spirit distilled in Jalisco, Mexico. The liquid has been designed to provide an alcohol-free alternative without compromising on the aesthetic taste and cultural essence of traditional tequila. To find out more, we talk to Saldana about blue agave and retaining the taste of tequila with our fermentation. Thank you for joining us Ivan.
Iván Saldaña (01:24.245)
My pleasure.
Tiff Christie (01:26.517)
Now tell us how the collaboration with Hamilton actually came about.
Iván Saldaña (01:31.852)
Well, I think a lot of luck, but there was a common friend between one of my partners, Moises, and the agency in which Luis was collaborating, basically the agency that worked with him, taking care of his appointments and things in Formula One. And what happened was that they already had a very clear idea they wanted to do something in relationship of developing or finding a way to bring Tequila Non-Alc. And so the connection was made and from that we had the opportunity to meet him in Mexico and share our visions, who we were, Casa Lumbre, what he wanted to accomplish. And then suddenly I have a very big project in front of me, very exciting for sure. That's kind of what happened. And then, for two years, we were working until Almave came to life.
Tiff Christie (02:52.747)
Now, although Almave is made from blue agave, do you see the liquid as a non -alcoholic tequila or would you define it as something else?
Iván Saldaña (03:05.383)
Well, anything that mimics today's market the way it's being explained, that tries to bring the flavours of a spirit, but without alcohol, the category is called non-alcoholic. So that definition was already established. But for sure, the fact that this hasn't been fermented implies inevitably that the liquid that is obtained is not a tequila.
This is 100 % for sure a product coming from Blue Agave. It's made in an infrastructure identical to agave. We utilise mature blue agaves from the highlands that are cooked and that's our raw material and the flavours of that raw material are captured.
In almost an extent, except with the fact that this never produced alcohol as fermentation didn't happen. The process is the same and the product has a purpose to trap all the richness these plants provide. it's hard for me to say. Yeah, the goal is to bring the flavours of agave. So instead of using tequila, you can make your cocktails or you can see that need having the opportunity to enjoy the flavours of agave, but it is not a tequila because it has not alcohol and never experienced fermentation. I don't know if this is answering your question, but the purpose was, yeah, wonderful.
Tiff Christie (04:49.589)
Now tell us a little bit about how Almave was created. How did you go about it?
Iván Saldaña (04:56.755)
Well, I'm not a yeah. the first we, I have a team of people. Henrik was leading the project within the product development team. Fernanda also part of the team. were meeting and discussing, which would be the, the pathways we could follow. And, since the beginning, I was, very clear that the goal was to obtain the volatile flavours just as tequila does, but there's ethanol in the middle that was created. I had to trap the different flavours and smells of the agave through a process similar to tequila. So the obvious thing to me was to start to investigate how hydrolytes could be made out of the agave plant. And the issue was to achieve the right result. We had to iterate many times to play with a number of repetitions in the, because we have the steel with a raw material and in order to extract the flavours, we had to repeat it several times. That was one of the challenges and then how to intensify that. Like how the agave should enter, should we just take a piece of cooked agave or should we have a proportion of fibre and juice that was like different. All of these variables we started to investigate in order to obtain what is the heart of the product. Because 70%, 60 % of a bottle of Almave was actually transformed into steam and distilled back into water with everything inside. So optimizing the process to cause a lot of time. The other big challenge was the microbiological and the implications of how to keep our products stable without adding things, without adding. So how could we be very careful in the entire process that the liquid ends sufficiently clean that we could, and which technologies we could use to ensure that the product could be bottle and could have a good shelf life. That was also a quite challenging bit of the project. Yeah, I think around that and again, the product, a part of the Hydrolyte, we play with other things to give structure. For example, we use gums to give texture. We have to explore how much, from where, what origin. We also had an ingredient that is based on chilies or capsicin that allow us to provide a more intense sensation of pungency similar to the tequila and we and we start to investigate how to do this in a natural way we use just natural ingredients we don't use artificial ingredients of any kind and this also the balance between acidity and sweetness very very important the sweetness that you will find in agave comes from from the agave from almavis or it comes from the agave itself. So let's say the core, the heart of the product, the stabilising it and then and then giving the structure to ensure we provide the best experience it was possible to provide.
Yes, well, no, I'm not sure. Honestly, I was facing absolute. mean, more harder than any other product I have made in the alcohol business. Yes, because I don't know alcohol. There's a lot already known there, but I mean, I always thought will be difficult, but at moments I thought will be three times more difficult that at last. What actually the difficulty we face another I thought would be easier is it's hard to answer it was just the right amount of difficulty, I would say, because without experience, the expectation wasn't clear about difficulty really
Hundreds, hundreds. I remember, I mean, considering there are two products, but yeah, we are around 130, 140 different iterations between the two. And it's very important to say that iteration of final product, because there was iteration of the HydroLate itself. On that one, I cannot tell you.
I don't keep the track, but when we were in sampling, let's say in sampling the potential final products. Yeah. would be 75 each more or less each. let's say I'm bar and Blanco. So multiple, but there were sub ingredients as explained like, okay, we're going to put some sweetness, which kind of sweetness we want to use because could be like in Al Mabé Blanco, we ensure that there's no color in ambasdor scholar house. So we were choosing different degrees of caramelization. So it was a lot of work, not only in the final, but in the elements we were using before we ensemble the final and model.
Tiff Christie (10:50.593)
Let me ask by skipping the fermentation process, does Almave have more of the terroir of Jalisco than a normal tequila would have?
Iván Saldaña (11:12.081)
No, I would not say that. just like the plant, the behavior of a yeast, and particularly when is, which is the thing I work the most with naturally occurring yeast, at least in Agave spirits, that makes a big difference. It's also part of the terroir. So I wouldn't conceptually split the idea that Almavé may have more terroir than a fermenter product. know why you're mentioning because fermenting implies, let's say, modifying more the character of an agave that was growing out there. So I wouldn't say that. That would be unfair. Also because, as explained, Almave is mostly the hydrolate, but I am already playing with the experience with texture with balance, acidity, sweetness and those things are not coming from randomly from the expression of the Earth. They are coming from the direction of the producer. So, I wouldn't... It would be hard to have a conceptual argument to say that something fermented because it's modified through a yeast will have less terroir than Almave because Almave is also the result of the decisions of the producers. So, depends a lot of what you define as the work. But I don't think so, I think it's equivalent.
Tiff Christie (12:52.907)
Now, having said that it's not technically a tequila, how would you describe the flavour?
Iván Saldaña (13:02.363)
I think I'm trapping the ample range of flavours and smells that the agave can provide. Those are embedded in any tequila. So that is absolutely shared. But there's a part between c , up to now, I'm already working because I think that differently from other propositions, here's a space still to keep looking into ways, which is the fermentative side, but let me finish what I was saying. So, Almaty can capture the spectrum of elements and soil elements that Agave provides, but there are other elements that are created during fermentation. Geist is capable of producing substances with their own flavours, like for example, higher alcohols, esters, and those are generated through the digestion of sugars by the gist. And that element is not yet, I would say, because I'm exploring that, in Almave. And that's one of the reasons why I don't like to say this is a non -alcoholic tequila. In the sense of being a tequila without the alcohol. This is an agave spirit, a blue agave distillate.
That has no alcohol as describing our labels that brings an entire set of flavours of agave. But technically the only way to make a non-alc tequila as a non -alc tequila is taking tequila and separating the alcohol. Something that is really hard to make because alcohol will inevitably also pull out. If you try to take the alcohol out, will take pull out.
A lot of the flavours of the agave that are inside the liquid. So what is left will be not that good. And I can tell you, go. So my approach was how can I, how can I do the same service tequila dose for us in the sense of bringing the flavours of agave, but, but using water instead as, the carrier of trapping those flavours, but water just like that is not that easy.
We have to several times, redestinate and redestinate over the same raw material in order to concentrate or, or, either late. that's the base of what I think is, I don't know if, if I was able to answer. So if I synthesize is yeah, there will be certain characteristics in tequila that are not present in Almave.
Tiff Christie (15:58.625)
Have you designed a mother to, have you designed the liquid to be just drunk on its own or with ice or specifically to be put into cocktails?
Iván Saldaña (16:12.807)
Well, we wanted the to achieve both. I think in particularly with Almave Amber, the purpose was to offer a neat experience too. It's a favourite way of drinking for, for, for Louis, for example, just a nice, the liquid, you can put probably a slice of orange if you want. and I think Almave.
We try to intensify it. Also, it has the notes of the tanning and we do extracts. We use extracts of wood, oak, and it has a deeper, let's say, mouthfeel too. So I would say Almave Amber, since the beginning, we truly wanted to offer any experience as well. But the core, for sure. And we did a lot of testing on that is we want this to behave really great in cocktails. So both Blanco and Amber. And I believe the result is really great. Like when you do a margarita or you do a paloma, it works very well with both products. But with Blanco, it's also fresher. I mean, it's different. Amber.
You have more of the caramellic and the wood notes there, while Blanco will enhance the green fresher, the essential oils that naturally occurs in agave in a more crisper, fresher way.
Tiff Christie (17:57.237)
Now there's a variety of non-alcoholic products on the market right now, in fact there's a deluge of them. Why should consumers grab a bottle of Almave compared to anyone else? Anything else?
Iván Saldaña (18:13.053)
Well, first because I truly believe that it brings the flavours of agave in a very accurate way. So because it tastes great. I mean, it's a very good product. Besides mimicking or not mimicking anything, Almave by itself is something. It is not about what it's not. It's really something that I think is very pleasurable. I believe as well that, that, agaves are one of the most extraordinary raw materials in multiple areas, but particularly in the world of flavour and smell, are fantastic. And, I find it hard like to say that if someone is looking for an experience that fulfils that moment for sharing, it is all complex.
They shouldn't be considering a model. I mean, if they really want to look at that, they should make cocktails to mix to discover how the flavours of agave can transform a drink. Well, I think that my way is the way to go.
I think there's not a particular order. think if you want to do the standard Margarita because that's what normally they drink, maybe Blanco. But because they want that, if they want a sipping, I would suggest to start with, which you can see Blanco too, but Amber has this more tense, concentrated, woody kind of expression that I think is also a very, very good starting point to get to know the brand with Amber Sipping.
That's for sure. That's for sure. Because the Blanco is taking care of, I mean, the Anbar is taking care of introducing as well the woody elements. So yeah, one is Blanco and clearly Anbar is a rebel. Yeah.
I think, I mean, for those that are appreciating options with no alcohol and for those that have a clean mind of having contact with a great product, with a great taste, it's been amazing. I still believe that not everybody in the world is yet in a level of openness. And if you want to take Almabé and what you want is to feel how the ethanol evaporates in the back of your tongue, well, that will not happen because there's no alcohol. so let's say depends a lot on the public, depends a lot of the market, but generally speaking, we are really happy and amazed. One of the wonderful things, selling products without alcohol allows is direct selling. We do it through our webpage and that allows us to get in contact directly with the consumers who are ordering it and enjoying it and learning their feedback and that's very very very positive. So far I think that people get most of the time positively excited positively impacted by Almavie.
Tiff Christie (22:05.727)
Now, of course, in the news in the last day or so has been the fact that Pernod Ricard has acquired a minority stake. What is this going to mean for the brand?
Iván Saldaña (22:19.433)
I mean, all the work has to be made exactly as it was planned, but now having the opportunity to work with a company like Pernod, we hope that their resources are pointing to promote or to make accessible. They have presence in more than 70 countries in the world. They allow us the opportunity to make Almave available in a much broader range. that sense, think Pernod is going to be an amazing partner. But that doesn't change anything else. We have to go and educate and present it. We have to keep producing it as we are doing it now, the same fashion. So what I think it allows is a much more stronger platform to allow Almave to reach the world.
Tiff Christie (23:27.393)
Now the spirit is still in its first year, but have any bartenders created drinks with it that you didn't perhaps expect?
Iván Saldaña (23:39.557)
it's very early, I would say. I mean, I have tried, some cocktails that are amazing that you sort of, that are surprising because I'm not typically, the way you use tequila because the traditional tequila cocktails, Paloma, Margarita, those, those, those ones. I mean, I have tried them. They are great, but yeah, there's bartenders that have being very creative mixing with cinnamon and apple juice and others like celery extractions or bitters and things like that that has been quite surprising. But I would say it's early on on the brand and most of what I have seen is an application trying to bring more traditional tequila cocktails.
But I think there's an entire world there, space for Almave to be explored beyond the concepts of cocktails that exist already for the tequila.
Yes. Well, bottles designs are the responsibility of my dear partner, Danish Naivise, one of the co -founders as well of Casa Lumbre. And, in my opinion was one of the best in the world in designing bottles. I mean, we have several price-winning designs in the company. and, and I think Almave is not an exception. I think.
The bottle has a really strong presence. We were able to truly present it as a premium product. It doesn't look as anything else. It in a way resembles tequila, but it also have its own very unique shape and identity. So the process wasn’t … I mean, I saw it from the side. was working really hard in the liquids, meeting Hamilton in multiple places in the world in order to get his feedback. But in an equivalent way, Danny was working with the packaging doing kind of the same, but developing. Lewis is a guy who is very design driven. He puts a lot of care in how things look in how things get expressed, not only for his own self, who he has his own style and everything, but he's a design lover. And in that sense, Luis also had a really strong participation in the process. So Danny, from the visuals to the three dimensional experience of holding the bottle, the height of it, the weight of it, the colour palette, all of that was a process in which Danny was designing, creating.
But then there were rounds of feedback up to we felt we have achieved the best we could with that bottle.
That's right. It's it's some poetic element there. We, if you look at tequilas, they traditionally are now the colour pattern, which by the way, Danny invented the first white tequila in a blue bottle was his in Milagro, 15 years ago, Milagro tequila is a design he created. And then the industry adopted it and the blue became a very permanent colour for Blanco tequila and that was Danish, my partner's color code, coding he created. what is unique in Almave is that the tone of the blue both and the tone of the amber is very electric. It's very intense. really, is really shiny in that sense. Maybe as a sky, the dusk and a sky in the dawn. I agree. I like the poetic resemblance of that.
Tiff Christie (28:18.957)
So if you've got a dawn and you've got a dusk, what's next for the company? you've bookended so much of the day.
Iván Saldaña (28:27.719)
Maybe night? Maybe night?
Well, there's things coming, but I'm not entitled to say. There may be something else coming.
Well, there's space at least for one more, but we'll see. I mean, yeah.
Almave is a conjunction of two words, alma, which means soul, and agave. Almave is the soul of the agave. And we decided to join two words in order to represent it. Soul of agave. And I think it's a very accurate definition of what we try to do. It's about the agave. Almave is really liquid, the liquid spirit of agave. We have no alcohol involved. We trapped that.
Tiff Christie (29:44.321)
Now you mentioned earlier that Pernod was going to help in terms of getting into new markets. Where is the liquid available right now?
Iván Saldaña (29:55.943)
Right now we have it in the US, limited in Mexico. We are working to expand that. The UK and a few other countries in Europe. Which is hard for me to say specifically right now which ones. I know the product is already in our warehouses in Holland and starting to roll out.
But I think soon we'll be in Spain, France, Germany. But I cannot confirm is there. I'm going to Europe actually traveling around in October. For that time, I'm expecting to be launching the product and seeing it in few countries already. But for the time being, I wouldn't like to say to our consumers that the product is available because
I'm not sure it is. It will take still some time more. And we were focusing in launching and seeing the reaction of, of the consumer. And it's been a lot of demand. mean, the thing is moving. Always when you launch a brand, there's a challenge in, increasing volumes. You go, you have your process, and you produce X amounts of litres, but now you have to do it more often. And,
You have to establish a more robust operation and you have to be careful to do it well to ensure you are absolutely in line with your expectation of what is the quality you are offering. So right now we are in that process of learning and delivering, growing up in the distillery, but always ensuring we will obtain the quality we expect to provide.
Iván Saldaña (31:56.645)
My pleasure.
Iván Saldaña (32:10.825)
That's right. That's the best way to obtain information.
Iván Saldaña (32:18.419)
You're welcome, thank you.