Patrón fans can now mix it up with two new smoky options, Ahumado Silver and Repsado.
Ahumado translates to “smoke,” and is a foray for the tequila giant into a flavor profile more typically associated with mezcal. While mezcal can be made from several different types of agave in a variety of different styles, Patrón is made with only 100% weber blue agave.
The cooking process is similar to that of many mezcals. The agave piñas are roasted for seven days in small underground stone pits with mesquite charcoal and then crushed using a traditional large stone tahona, which helps bring out the sweet and earthy notes from the agave.
Patrón had previously released a limited-edition Gran Patrón Smoky in 2018 ($199) that was made in a similar method but had barbecue and grapefruit notes and was bottled a higher ABV, said D-J Hageman, the vice president of marketing for Patrón in North America. Patrón Ahumado Silver tastes more of black pepper and cooked agave, and Patrón Ahumado Repsado, the first aged smoky product from the brand, is sweeter with notes of vanilla and caramel from its time spent in wood. The Ahumado Silver ($70) and Reposado ($80) are also at a more accessible price point than the Smoky, and can be used in cocktails.
“With an edge on smoothness compared to competing tequilas, Patrón Ahumado offers individuals something new and an opportunity to create easy at-home smoky cocktails that don’t require a diffuser or smoker, for an elevated cocktail experience,” Hageman said.
While both iterations can be drunk neat or on the rocks, the suggested cocktail serve for Ahumado Silver is a Negroni or Mule, and for Reposado is a Paloma or an Old Fashioned, adding a layer of sweet smoke to the drinks.
The new release comes as the tequila and mezcal continue to rapidly grow. According to the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States, The tequila and mezcal were among the top five spirits categories by revenue and fasted growing by revenue in 2022, as sales were up 17.2% to total $6 billion, according to the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States.
The new Ahumado expressions come on the heels of another new product from Patrón, El Alto ($179), a premium tequila released in four American cities know for nightlife and celebrating: New York City, Los Angeles, Las Vegas and Miami, a mixed age-statement expression that is primary made from Extra Añejo that is meant to be drunk over a large ice cube during a night out.