What To Consider Before Buying Celebrity-Endorsed Tequila

Another week and another celebrity-endorsed tequila pops up on your feed — at least, that's what it feels like. From well-established brands like George Clooney and Rande Gerber's Casamigos and Eva Longoria's Casa Del Sol to newer brands of the likes of Kendall Jenner's 818, the tequila business is consistently bringing in A-list names. But, just like other types of tequila, not all of the celebrity-endorsed brands are created equal. As Jaime Salas, the Head of Advocacy for Proximo Spirits' portfolio of agave spirits, told Tasting Table, "Celebrity tequilas are in a highly competitive category so they need to stand up to the best the industry has to offer."

By that, Salas is politely eluding to the idea that just putting a celebrity's face on the advertisement, or printing their name on the bottle, really isn't enough to make it in the tequila business — nor does it signify a tequila's quality. Rather, consumers should reach for bottles from celebrity-endorsed brands that work with people who have generational expertise in tequila making, who are genuinely invested in the process of making the tequila itself, and who offer support to the community they operate in. Surprisingly, or — unsurprisingly, depending on your perspective — there are a number of them out there.

Jaime Salas recommends the Kevin Hart-endorsed tequila brand Gran Coramino tequila. Gran Coramino was created by the American comedian in collaboration with Juan Domingo Beckmann, who himself brings 11 generations of tequila making to the brand and whose family has introduced some of the best-in-class tequilas to the world, including Jose Cuervo (the only major Mexican-owned tequila company in Mexico) for over 250 years. Gran Coramino also allocates a portion of its revenue to support entrepreneurs and small business owners from underrepresented communities, both in Tequila, Mexico, and the United States. 

Following suit with Salas's recommendation, Eva Longoria's aforementioned Casa Del Sol tequila is another celebrity-endorsed tequila brand that stands out. As one of the few woman-owned tequilas on the market, Longoria partnered with Alejandra Pelayo — the protegé and goddaughter to the late Francisco Alcaraz, a former master distiller and creator of Patrón – and Mariana Padilla, whose family history is deeply rooted in the tequila industry. Coinciding with the brand's distinct identity, Casa Del Sol works directly with the community to develop programs that provide personal and professional development opportunities to women in the Altos de Jalisco region.

These brands only scratch the surface of what's out there, however. Next time you see another celebrity-endorsed tequila come up on your Instagram timeline, think of these as the standard.