Origins of tequila: History of Mexico's favorite spirit
Americans celebrate Cinco de Mayo with Mexican-flavor, including drinking the popular spirit tequila. But tequila expert, Guillaume Cuvelier, the co-owner of the brand Astral Tequila shares the rich history of the tasty drink. Salud!
Michael Jordan is taking a shot at entering the spirits industry.
Earlier this week, NBA legend Michael Jordan and some of his “friendly professional basketball rivals” announced the release of Cincoro, their very own line of tequila.
"We set out to create a sipping tequila that is ultra-smooth, naturally rich, complex and delicious; a tequila with exceptional taste," claims CEO and founding partner Emilia Fazzalari, also the wife of Celtics owner and Cincoro founder Wyc Grousbeck.
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Jordan, Fazzalari and Grousbeck, along with Lakers owner Jeanie Buss and Bucks owner Wes Edens, are said to have come up with the idea for a tequila brand during a 2016 dinner, according to a press release.
Jordan, seen here with co-founders (L-R) Wyc Grousbeck, Emilia Fazzalari, Jeanie Buss and Wes Edens, reportedly embarked on the venture after discovering a shared love of tequila. (Cincoro Tequila)
“They began the evening as acquaintances and after sharing stories and discovering a mutual love of tequila, they quickly formed the foundation of an extraordinary partnership,” the story goes.
Jordan’s influence, however, seems to be what spurred the project in the first place. Tequila is said to be his “spirit of choice,” according to Forbes, and it was he, along with Fazzalari and Edens, who headed up the tasting team when choosing the correct blend.
His influence may be more evident on the bottle, too. Jordan and Mark Smith, the vice president of Innovation Special Projects at Nike, reportedly worked closely on the design, which pays homage not only to the agave plant but also Jordan’s jersey number, as it’s designed with a “23-degree angle.”
Bottles for the four varieties of Cincoro, seen here, were designed with a 23-degree angle as an homage to Jordan. (Cincoro Tequila)
"The sleek, contemporary and unique bottle is a glass sculpture of the agave leaf that highlights the liquid with a five-sided base, showcasing the Cincoro Fire Agave icon in the punt at a 23-degree angle, topped with a king's crown crystal stopper," a description reads.
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Now, Cincoro — the name was derived from the Spanish words for “five” (cinco) and “gold” (oro) — is preparing for a nationwide launch in January following successful tests in four markets (and a current release in 12 markets), Forbes reports. The press release writes that Cincoro has already won “16 medals across the portfolio at prestigious spirits competitions,” too.
The founders also staged a launch for the new spirit at CATCH STEAK in New York City on Wednesday evening.
Cincoro founders Wes Edens, Wyc Grousbeck, Emilia Fazzalari, Michael Jordan and Jeanie Buss came up with the idea during a dinner in 2016, according to a press release. (Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for Cincoro)
Upon release, four varieties will be available, including a $70 blanco, a $90 reposado, a $130 añejo and Jordan’s personal favorite, the $1,600 extra añejo.
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In addition to the tequila venture, Jordan’s line of shoes continues to earn him millions per year from Nike. He also has co-founded several namesake steakhouses and restaurants, has part-ownership of a car dealership, and is the current owner of the Charlotte Hornets.
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