UWA Tequila, Scotland’s first and only luxury tequila brand, was launched to the UK market in December. It offers something different and it is the first company in the world to have solely aged its tequilas in Speyside whisky casks. So why not try something unusual this Burns Night and toast a dram of tequila with a Scottish twist?
Headquartered in Aberdeen, the company boasts two interpretations – the triple distilled platinum blanco and the seven-month aged reposado. Its focus is on showcasing the cultural partnership it has with the whisky industry and with Mexico by mixing cultural traditions with modernity.
“In Scotland, traditionally we’re associated with making whisky, and in Mexico its tequila, but what people don’t know is how similar both are and how ageing plays a huge part in the creation of both spirits,” says the founder and CEO of UWA Tequila, Michael Ballantyne.
Both tequila and whisky abound in a rich history which dates back hundreds of years ago, and with the Burns Night coming on the 25th of January, UWA took the opportunity to re-educate consumers on how to best enjoy the Mexican spirit by drinking it out of a special tequila flute.
“I wanted to produce something completely niche to the market and bring innovation into traditional practices whilst showcasing two incredible countries,” says Michael. He adds that he never intended to take the tradition of toasting with whisky away. Instead, his plan was to offer a different option for the dinner table to initiate conversation: “just as Robert Burns would have done with his poetry.”
A bottle of UWA Tequila costs around £55 and both of its expressions are now available at various independent bottle shops and in some bars across the UK. A new 14-month aged añejo will be released this spring.
