Spotlight Launch - Revel Spirits Debuts El Popo

In case you’re not familiar, Avila is made from 100% pure agave grown and distilled in Morelos. REVEL Avila, the first brand of the new agave spirits category, actually blends the production processes of tequila and mezcal for a spirit that is smooth and slightly smoky. For its flagship brand, REVEL, Revel Spirits splits their harvested agave piñas, roasting some covered and uncovered on volcanic rock for 72 hours. The rest of the piñas are steamed in an Autoclave oven and then both are combined to create a unique flavor profile.

With the success of REVEL Avila, the team at Revel Spirits has announced the launch of El Popo, a new Avila made from 100% Blue Weber Agave handharvested from farms at the base of Popocatépetl volcano. The name, El Popo, comes from the local name for the volcano. “We wanted to ensure El Popo had the characteristics one would expect given the spirit’s namesake, so we decided to use only smoked piñas in its production,” shares Micah McFarlane, founder of Revel Spirits. “For smoking, we use only local oak wood and volcanic rock, which gives them a beautiful and robust smoky flavor. Once distillation is complete, we then steam filter roughly 20% of the spirit to mellow its smokiness and infuse it with a soft sweetness. The result is a flavor profile any mezcal enthusiast would appreciate. REVEL Avila was the first Avila brand to market; El Popo will be our second. We wanted to diversify our resource allocation in Morelos and allow other agaveros and distillers an opportunity to have their products sold around the world as well as legitimize the category of Avila.”

“The lush volcanic soil in this region is rich with nutrients and minerals, giving a flavor to our Avila like no other agave spirit on the market,” explains McFarlane. “Unique in taste and color, our double distilled El Popo Avila is earthy, fragrant and slightly ‘rougher round the edges’ than its sister REVEL, in the best possible way.” The team at Revel Spirits notes that the best way to enjoy El Popo is neat or on the rocks. But that doesn’t mean it can’t be used in cocktails. Thanks to the bold and unique flavor palette El Popo does shine in cocktails made with fresh, quality ingredients. In short, treat it the way you would treat a premium tequila or whiskey.

How does the brand suggest bartenders introduce customers to the new line? “El Popo is an Avila, which is a new category of agave spirit from Morelos Mexico,” remarks McFarlane. “Avilas are made with agave grown exclusively in Morelos and distilled in the state. With REVEL and El Popo, we use dual production processes of smoking and steaming the piñas, making it more approachable than many mezcals but more interesting than most tequilas.” The Morelos region is unique in several ways: the elevation of 3,000 feet above sea level, the climate, and the natural pollination from bats make it a perfect place to grow large, healthy plants. Additionally, the region has not suffered from the same over-farming and soil degradation that has impacted much of the tequila region. This combined with socially and environmentally conscious production methods, means that the carefully grown agave will be productive and sustainable for generations to come.

El Popo is only the second Avila that Revel Spirits has produced, and the company intends to debut many more in the future. “All future Avilas will be made using 100% of any agave species native to Morelos with no additives.”

THE BEST TIERRA MADRE

INGREDIENTS

1 ½ oz. El Popo blanco ¾ oz. lemon juice ½ oz. agave ½ oz. Giffards ginger liqueur 1 oz. golden beet juice Full dropper of tarragon bitters

PREPARATION

Combine ingredients in shaker, shake, strain into rocks glass.