5 tequilas and how they got their names
The world of tequila is full of fantastic stories straight out of the colorful Mexican culture and history.
We drink tequila while we enjoy good times with our friends. Rarely do we wonder how the products’ names and designs were initially conceived. However, behind every brand name there is a story to be told. Here are a few of them.
30-30 Tequila
30-30 is a wonderful tequila which comes in a nice and simple bottle. The name, however… what on earth made anyone call it 30-30…?
30-30 is the caliber of a rifle. And the Winchester 30-30 rifle is the rifle used by legendary Mexican soldier and freedom fighter Pancho Villa in the Mexican revolution 1910-20.
Pancho himself – often associated with tequila – actually never drank alcohol and never smoked either. Pancho was a nickname for peasant-born José Doroteo Arango Arámbula – and he never entirely did fit the image of a bandit that contemporary media painted of him.
Aha Toro Tequila
Aha Toro is the name of an elegant tequila in a beautiful stylized bull shaped bottle. Héctor Lizrraga Castel, one of the company’s owners, tells the story behind this odd name.
Once driving through the fields with his five year old nephew they met a big bull on the road. The bull stood its ground and refused to make way for the car. The small boy then impatiently cried “Aha Toro! Aha Toro!” (Hey bull – go away!). Mexico’s rambling cattle actually do have a taste for agave leaves and are able to eat them without getting hurt by the thorns.
So, vested into the tequila are the memories of a sweet afternoon, an impatient boy and a stubborn bull.
Ley .925
Ley .925 – now there’s an odd name! “Ley” is the Spanish word for silver and .925 is the percentage of pure silver in a mixture of silver and other metals. Metal that consists of 92,5 % silver and 7,5 other metals is called Sterling Silver, and the founder of the Ley .925 wanted his very exclusive and costly tequila to be associated with that shiny and expensive metal.
One of the impressive dragon shaped bottles was decorated entirely with diamonds and sold on an auction, coining it the world’s most expensive tequila. Some other bottles were swept in silver decorations in order to make them exquisite and beautiful.
Kah Tequila
Inspired by the Mexican tradition of ‘calaveras’ Californian artist Kim Brandi designed the skull shaped bottles and created Kah Tequila. Calaveras are the decorative skulls made of sugar and used for celebrations during the day of the dead festivities. Today Kah vessels are still handcrafted works of art and no two bottles are the same.
Kah is the Aztec word for life, and the different agings of the tequila: blanco, reposado, anejo and extra anejo, refer to day of the dead cultures in different countries. The Aztecs were one of the many Mexican pre-Hispanic Indian cultures.
Tequila 29
Tequila 29 is another name with numbers in it and a really cool logo. Alberto Rubio of Tequila 29 explains: “The number 2 means the two most important elements in tequila production: the land and the agave. The number 9 stands for the nine general steps to make tequila. The name two nine was also inspired by the word “tonight” and by that to represent the general image of fun in the night and the mysticism that the night brings; two nine – tonight. And a more intimate and personal meaning for us is that the 2 represents my grandmother and grandfather and 9 are my nine uncles and aunts”.
Once again, a product name with a rich story and of poignant significance to the heart and history of the entrepreneur. The world of Tequila is wonderful!
