KAH Tequila Honors Mexican Art and Traditions

By Ryan Slattery

Tequila is having its moment. Retail sales of agave-based liquors like tequila and mezcal have increased by 30 percent in recent years and are one the fastest-growing spirits in the United States, poised to soon overtake vodka as the nation’s best-selling liquor, after knocking whiskey into third place.

And with more than 60 percent of global tequila and mezcal sales occurring in the U.S., and seemingly every actor or musician collaborating with a brand and slapping their name on a bottle, standing out comes down to quality, taste and tradition.

“The tequila category is cluttered with many new brands, big and small, all competing for the attention of consumers in diferent ways,” explains Evija Sparane, KAH Tequila’s Global Brand Director. “Amid this category noise, KAH aims to remain true to its core brand values by proudly displaying its Mexican heritage and provenance. The packaging refects the origins of the fne, hand-crafted liquid.”

KAH Tequila, which is produced by Fabrica de Tequilas Finos in the famous agave growing region of Tequila, Mexico, was created to pay reverence and honor to Mexican culture and traditions. The name “KAH” itself, means “life” in the ancient Mayan language.

That brings us to that colorful, eye-catching bottle. Every bottle of KAH Tequila is an individual work of art inspired by a diferent Day of the Dead tradition or ritual. The decorated bottles are painted with a special phosphorus ink, making the eyes within the traditional Calaveras (sugar skulls) glow in the dark.

“Día de los Muertos is a holiday that is a celebration of lives lived,” says Sparane of the Day of the Dead traditions. “The customs are based on the belief that mourning and sadness are an insult to the deceased, and therefore, the lives they lived should be celebrated with the foods, drinks, and activities they enjoyed while alive.”

The bottle has taken on a life of its own with friends exchanging them in celebration of various life events.

“In Mexican culture, friendship is defned by what friends do together rather than just being together,” Sparane explains. “The true inspiration behind the creation of KAH Tequila was to celebrate genuine friendship. KAH wishes us all to raise a toast and an ofering to praise every moment of our friendships. Nowadays, the skull symbol serves as a popular gift, exchanged by friends and sweethearts, as a symbol of a bond of enduring afection.”

But art and culture aside, it’s what inside the iconic bottle that drives sales. KAH distillers hand-harvest 100 percent pure Blue Weber Agave turning it into Blanco, Reposado, and Añejo tequilas.

Silky and delicate, the double-distilled Blanco has a sweet, yet peppery taste. The Reposado matures for 10 months in oak barrels taking on hints of vanilla and caramel, while the Añejo ages for a minimum of 12 months and up to two years, boasting notes of chocolate, tobacco, and cofee.

And just over a year ago, KAH introduced its ultra-premium Extra Añejo Tequila. The more complex spirit is aged in oak casks for three years giving it a smooth, smoky favor with sweet maple and caramel undertones.

Sparane says the company targeted the growing U.S. market for the launch of its premium brand.

“The U.S. is highly receptive to well-crafted, high-end tequilas. Quite simply, [Americans] understand and appreciate that tequilas of excellence allow the agave taste notes to shine and elevate the drinking experience.” kahtequila.com

In a world where our culture is more and more embracing empathy with each other and the planet, the status quo of bottled water served in restaurants and hotels is not embracing these tectonic shifts. Until now.

KOPU Water has emerged as a leader with a modern American, qualitydriven bottled water that provides a complete sustainability solution for dining and hospitality.

Sourced from a spring within the Cascade Mountains of Oregon, with both spring and sparkling options, KOPU has garnered accolades for its award winning taste.

“Diners and guests of restaurants and hotels more and more want to have a positive impact on the local communities and environment they are visiting. The standard heavy glass bottles from Europe being imported from thousands of miles away has become out of step with our increasingly farm to table culinary movement and customer expectations. Our family launched KOPU Water fve years ago to address this misalignment and drive substantial positive change.” Says founder Justin Mahy.

KOPU spring is naturally alkaline with a pH of 8, it is rich in calcium, magnesium, and potassium. It also benefts from naturally-occurring silica, known as the “beauty mineral” for its hair, nail, and skin enhancing properties. KOPU sparkling has tiny fne-champagne like bubbles and was voted top three best tasting sparkling waters in the world at the Berkeley Spring International Water Tasting.

KOPU packages their water exclusively within beautiful sleek aluminum bottles. This is done with intention considering that 75% of all aluminum ever created in the history of mankind is still in use today.

KOPU took the concept of “recyclability” to “guaranteed recycled” with the launch of the KOPU Aluminum Stewardship program in Q4 of 2022. KOPU picks up all empty bottles as well as aluminum cans and ensures their recycling. This is a free service and also includes recycling infrastructure which is provided to their dining and hospitality clients. Customers include Ritz-Carlton, Four Seasons, Belmond, Aman hotels and resorts across the US as well as independents such as The Little Nell, Ojai Valley Inn and Spa, Acqualina Resort and Hotel Californian.

“One of our biggest world problems is packaging waste, so to build a company that is authentically sustainable is important to us. Aluminum is highly recyclable. Sixty days after our bottles are recycled, they will reemerge as a can of soda or maybe a Tesla! It’s the sustainability wonder material.” says fellow founder Mindy Mahy.

KOPU’s commitment to excellence has made them trailblazers, catching the attention and garnering the support of esteemed professionals in the industry. Now, KOPU Water will be served at Richard Sandoval Hospitality locations nationwide. Chef Richard Sandoval believes in KOPU’s mission and together they will use their intention-driven approach to create a harmonious experience for guests and their local environment.

KOPU is a family-run business with a mission to embrace a new era of luxury by offering water of unparalleled quality while prioritizing health of both people and the Earth. Expect nothing short of remarkable achievements as they make a large impact and set new standards in the industry.

For more information, please visit www.KOPUWater.com, or follow them on instagram @kopuwater.