George Clooney's Tequila Brand Allegedly Breaks Key Rules, Sparking Legal Bombshell
- EXPLORE FURTHER: Celebrity-branded tequilas incorporating additives into their products
In an explosive class-action lawsuit, George Clooney’s top-selling tequila brand, Casamigos, faces allegations of potentially passing off counterfeit tequila as part of their product line to reduce costs.
Casamigos and Don Julio, which are both under the ownership of spirits conglomerate Diageo, face allegations in a federal suit Of using spirits besides tequila in their bottles even though these brands promote themselves as 100% agave.
Diageo, the liquor giant that owns both brands, has slammed the claims, calling them 'categorically false.'
Tequila, which has to be exclusively made in the tequila region of Mexico From Blue Weber agave, it must consist of just three components: agave, water, and yeast.
As travelcheapwithoutmissingoutexclusively reported recently, tequila brands have been allowed to add 1% of additives such as glycerin, caramel color, oak extract, and syrup made from sugars.
While even the use of additives has been controversial because they're considered a short cut to the years-long process of crafting the Mexican drink, the filing out of New York, states that Casamigos and Don Julio sold 'adulterated' booze, possibly using cheap cane sugar instead of the 100% prized blue weber agave.
In the meantime, these items are branded as 'luxury' and 'premium,' with prices ranging from $50 to $150 per bottle.
The production of tequila necessitates growing, fermenting, and distilling Blue Weber Agave, with each plant taking between five to ten years to reach maturity for harvesting. This "leads to continuous strain within the sector along with the urge to take shortcuts," according to the requirements stated.
A lesser quality version of the spirit—referred to as mixtos—can also be marketed; however, these must be marked as containing just 51% agave and are considerably cheaper compared to genuine tequila.
Chaim Mishulovin, Avi Pusatezri—a mixologist from New York City—and the restaurant named Sushi Tokyo are the claimants pursuing $5 million each in damages from Diageo.
Casamigos, famously founded by George Clooney and Randy Gerber (husband to supermodel) Cindy Crawford ) was sold to Diageo for a $1 billion deal.
However, Clooney, Gerber and even his super model wife are used to market the booze, with the Casamigos Jalepeno version marketed with the model's signature birth mark and lips.
Despite the star-studded associations helping Casamigos become the fourth-best-selling tequila globally, it frequently receives criticism from professionals due to its poor quality.
'The issue with celebrity tequila out there is that they're using unripe agave, mass producing it, and pumping it fill of artificial sweeteners just to make a buck,' declared Texas tequila coach Fonseca Aquinaga on his Instagram account .
Due to the brand’s widespread appeal, it now accelerates the process by reducing the time the agave spends maturing and sweetening naturally in the soil before being harvested for alcohol production.
Experts in tequila claim that bigger producers often subcontract their Blanco tequila, purchasing it from an unnamed large-scale manufacturer and then adding chemicals to ensure it matches the flavor profile consumers expect.
Casamigos includes additives, just like Don Julio, though neither brand admits this on their labels.
Various alcohol specialists have full video compilations where they implore viewers not to squander their cash on the brands currently facing legal action.
One of my buddies is considering buying Don Julio Blanco for $50. Any thoughts? Maybe they should find better pals. There are plenty of superior options out there instead of Don Julio Blanco. tequilajaybaer says in the clip.
The person who owns both companies pledges to contest the claims in the legal case.
"These allegations of contamination are completely baseless and utterly unfounded; both Don Julio and Casamigos tequilas are made exclusively from 100% Blue Weber Agave and adhere strictly to the official tequila regulations," Diageo stated.
We eagerly anticipate strongly defending the excellence and authenticity of our Tequilas in the courtroom.
Should this case go to court, it could be the first instance where a tequila producer needs to demonstrate what exactly is in their product.
Right now, the only tequila regulator in Mexico is the Consejo Regulador del Tequila (CRT.)
The private entity comprises tequila producers, where leaders from the highest-grossing and largest tequila companies hold the majority of influence.
The CRT relies on an honor system for self-regulation.
'A notebook is kept in each distillery where details about adding substances to the products are recorded. The CRT reviews this notebook, approves it, and proceeds further without conducting tests or smelling the batches,' explained tequila connoisseur Grover Sanschagrin. Punch .
The CRT, often referred to as the 'tequila cartel,' according to insiders who spoke with travelcheapwithoutmissingout, does not appreciate being challenged.
Sanschagrins' site, billing itself as the largest tequila database globally, lists every additive-free tequila that he sampled at his residence in Guadalajara.
Last year, his house was stormed late at night by Mexican federal forces, as reported. Mexican media .
Police officers carrying weapons, backed by a warrant which incorporated a grievance from the CRT, asserted that the Sanschagrins were operating their residence as an 'illegitimate tequila production facility.'
Although nobody was detained, several bottles of tequila were confiscated.
Even with resistance, customers are becoming more aware of additive-free tequila and are requesting it.
Large liquor outlets, such as Total Wine, are now beginning to mark their sold tequilas as free from additives.
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