Patron’s founders just launched a new vodka made from blue agave.

What does one do after founding one of the most successful tequila brands, virtually creating the premium tequila category in America, and then selling it to Bacardi for over $5 billion? It’s like starting a new vodka brand, but not just any vodka — made from 100 percent Blue Weber agave, the same plant from which tequila is made.

Round 2 Spirits was created by a few key members of the Patron Tequila brand: Patron & Paul Mitchell billionaire founder John Paul DeJoria, former Patron CEO Ed Brown, former Patron & Gray Goose CMO Lee Applebaum, former Patron C. OO Dave Wilson, and former Southern Glazer Wine & Spirits COO Brad Wasser. The Texas-based company’s first product is called Weber Ranch 1902 Vodka. While this isn’t the first vodka on the market made with agave, it’s still pretty rare — most vodkas are made from wheat, corn, rye, or potatoes. According to Applbaum, the idea was to create a unique mark on the most popular spirit category in America. “By volume, vodka is the largest spirits category in the U.S., but let’s be honest, it’s been a long time since there’s been any meaningful innovation or real disruption in this space,” he said in a statement. “I’m not talking about innovative flavors, clever packaging, or crazy distillation tours — that’s just line expansion, differentiation, and iteration, not true disruption.”

According to the brand, the vodka is produced in both Mexico and the U.S. Blue Weber agave is harvested and distilled in Jalisco (it’s not specified where), and then the spirit is distilled at the Weber Ranch distillery in Muenster. is delivered. , Texas. There it is redistilled in both a copper pot and column, filtered and cut from the Trinity Aquifer water and bottled. According to the brand, the vodka is 100 percent additive free, which is increasingly important to drinkers and consumers as a whole.

I asked Appelbaum about his decision to use agave to distill vodka, which many believe is by its very nature a tasteless, odorless spirit—although, in fact, The TTB recently changed the definition to indicate that vodka may indeed have those attributes. . “The fact that many vodkas have very distinct flavor profiles is certainly a byproduct of how they’re produced, but more significantly their wheat, corn, or Because of the use of potatoes, or other commodity crops,” he said. “We clearly know something about making spirits from 100 percent Blue Weber agave, and that when it’s carefully distilled, it produces a high yield with natural sweetness and clean, bright citrus notes. which you can’t get from commoditized crops that only take a few months to mature.” I got to try an early sample of Blue Weber Vodka, and I have to agree. The palate has a soft creaminess, with notes of vanilla, espresso, black pepper, and a bit of subtle citrus.

I also asked Appelbaum whether consumers, especially tequila enthusiasts, consider it similar to what he disparagingly calls “aga vodka,” referring to the flavorless spirit that was produced at the time. Occurs when diffusers are used in wine production rather than more traditional methods. “First of all, Weber Ranch is not wine, and we’re as clear about that as we are with our vodka,” Applebaum said, and of course it is. Weber Ranch is not about challenging wine or confusing consumers. Quite the contrary… We hope Weber Ranch will introduce traditional vodka consumers to the amazing spirits that Blue Weber Agave can create, and show tequila consumers that another spirit (vodka) can be made from the plant. Which they would have never imagined.

Weber Ranch 1902 Vodka ($28) is now available nationally, and you can also buy a bottle directly from him. website.