Watch: Scotland’s first tequila brand Jalisgow launches with a special White Russian cocktail at Lebowski’s

Realising a gap in the market for premium coffee tequila three friends combined their individual experiences and knowledge of the food and drinks industry and sought to create their own brand. Three years on Jalisgow has now launched and is available at a number of popular bars across Glasgow. 

Adam Alzadjally, Kieran Woods and Stewart Weir worked with experts at The Hacienda, Casa Reyes D’Barjas - the oldest tequila distillery in the world, situated within the town of Tequila in Mexico - to curate the drink which is produced in small batches by local producers and farmers using 100 percent blue webber agave, the highest quality agave available. 

We spoke to the trio following the launch to hear how it came together.

Adam said: “The idea started in a bar between the three of us over a Guinness. Cafe Patron was recently discontinued. At the time myself and Stu were working in bars across Glasgow. We were aware how popular it was. The product was no longer available but people were still asking for it so there was a gap in the market. We sat down and discussed how it could potentially be done. We approached a drinks company in Scotland. Started working with them and getting things off the ground, speaking to food scientists, looking at things like packaging, bottling, ingredients. 

“It was only until we delved into the production stage that the nuances and just how regulated tequila is and how you need to work with it came to light. I suppose you could say it’s similar in that sense to Scottish whisky. It’s protected and there’s certain regulations and laws and documentation. It’s the same with tequila in Mexico. 

“We realised we needed to go over to Mexico to make it happen. We had to see the distillers, get the proper licensing and paperwork, get it all accredited through lawyers. We done that in November last year, the three of us went over for ten days. We went with a master distiller and discussed how it could be done. All the work we’d done in the previous year we took over to Mexico. From there we signed a deal with the second oldest tequila distillery in the world. Ever since then it’s been working in conjunction with them to produce Jalisgow. 

“It’s certainly been difficult and challenging but rewarding and something that we hope people will enjoy. We’ve taken certain aspects of coffee tequilas, what we thought were good, what we thought were bad and we’ve brought years worth of experience, working in coffee, working in food production, within bar and hospitality work.”

Kieran said: “Jalisgow is a coffee tequila. We wanted to design something to be shotted but could also be used in cocktails. We used blue webber agave tequila which is the premium tequila on the market. We then tested it with a lot of coffee and settled on Colombian coffee. We settled at 30 percent alcohol percentage. We wanted it to be easily drinkable. We focused on flavour rather than getting hammered. You’re drinking a shot that’s full of flavour.”

Jalisgow is currently available in The Finnieston, Lebowskis, Kong, Wunderbar, The West Side Tavern, Gandolfi, Max’s Bar, The Locale and many more.