Herencia de Plata Tequila: A Mexican-owned tequila brand with impressive heritage, re-launches in the UK with distributors MexImport

Written by: Rubi Mora

When a Mexican man invites someone into his home for a drink, whether a work acquaintance or the first boyfriend his daughter brings home, he asks if his guest would like “un tequilita.” This diminutive version of tequila lessens the stakes of the drink; it is a little tequila, a little treat.

            Most cultural representations of tequila do not seem to understand that it can be a treat. Instead, it is something to be endured, the procedure for its ingestion as ritualistic as getting one’s ears pierced: lick some salt. Throw it back. Suck on a lime. Wince and repeat.

            Katya Torres de la Rocha, CEO of MexImport, has signed an exclusive deal with Herencia de Plata Tequila for distribution in the UK and throughout Europe. With the help of new partner Eduardo Gomez Resendiz, creator of Tequila Fest UK, Katya hopes to change this perception of tequila.

Although Herencia de Plata has been available in the UK in the past, the brand has been completely relaunched through MexImport. It recently made a splash at the British Library during an event dedicated to Mexican history, where guests were treated to margaritas made with Herencia de Plata tequila. Since then, Eduardo has presented the brand at Boutique Bar show in Manchester.

MexImport is the first 100% Mexican-owned company in the UK to manage a tequila brand, and Herencia de Plata is the first tequila MexImport has distributed. The first of many, this partnership gestures to the future of tequila as an international drink of choice.

Herencia de Plata’s 100% agave tequila is produced by Tequilas del Señor, a fourth generation family-run business in Jalisco, Mexico. It was originally produced in 1997 to commemorate the wedding of Juan Garcia, son of the of the company founder, Manuel Garcia. Even then, its name spoke to its future: “Herencia,” Spanish for “heritage,” conjured the brand’s authentic beginnings, and “Plata,” meaning “silver,” predicted the Silver Medal that The Spirits Business in the UK would award to the tequila in the 2014 Tequila Masters competition.

In 2002, then-Mexican President Vicente Fox served Queen Elizabeth II Herencia de Plata tequila during his visit to the UK, cementing the drink as a sophisticated and authentic treat. It is not the “tequila” growl of a guy trying to look tough in a bar, nor is it the “TEQUILAAAA” shriek of a sorority girl thinking she is actually celebrating Cinco de Mayo. Fox shared “un tequilita” with the Queen, and “un tequilita” is sipped and enjoyed, with nothing to prove.

MexImport and Herencia de Plata invite you to join them in the future of tequila in the UK, at Tequila Fest Liverpool on 8, 9 August and Tequila Fest London 19, 20 September. Salt and lime are optional, but don’t worry about the chaser--if you are drinking tequila the right way, there is nothing to chase away.

For further information, visitwww.meximport.co.uk, follow on Twitter and like on Facebook.