GEORGE CLOONEY & RANDE GERBER: CASAMIGOS

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A-list celebrity George Clooney, A-List entertainment industry entrepreneur Rande Gerber, and A-list property developer Mike Meldman loved their tequila-filled nights with tequila on the rocks, by the shot, and at times, straight from the bottle.

Longtime friends decided to produce Casamigos, the best-tasting, smoothest tequila and mezcal that didn’t have to be covered up with salt or lime. They created Casamigos with their master distiller in Jalisco, Mexico, as a house tequila for their enjoyment. But it was so amazing; the label was launched

A-List Agave Spirit

George Clooney and Rande Gerber toast with their Casamigos

Photos by Casamigos

in 2013 by Clooney, Gerber, and Meldman. PR%F the Magazine recently connected with Rande Gerber about Casamigos and the spirit industry.

HOW DO YOU SHIFT, SCALE, AND EXPAND THE CASAMIGOS MISSION, TACTICS, AND STRATEGY AS A LEADER?

Rande Gerber: Being a leader is to create harmony between each team member, which in turn reveals the group’s maximum and full potential. And success unshared is a failure in my eyes. Without a great team, we would never be in the position we are today.

I like to train people well enough to leave, but more important is to treat them well enough, so they don’t want to leave. Most of the people I hire have had no experience in the spirits industry and have been with me since day one.

HOW, AS A HIGHLY VISIBLE LEADER IN THE AGAVE SPIRITS INDUSTRY, IN A TIME OF SUBSTANTIAL CHANGE AND RECALIBRATION, DO YOU SUMMON “INNOVATION” INTO YOUR PRACTICE?

Rande Gerber: I don’t follow any rules. I have this innate sense of what feels right and looks right. I’m not sure where it comes from, but it just comes to me. I’m also always open to hearing others’ opinions and collaborating on ideas. I am a creative person that gets bored easily and can’t just sit and watch things happen. I love to make it happen. WHAT ARE SOME OF THE KEY LESSONS YOU LEARNED BY LEADING AN INTERNATIONAL BEST-SELLING PRODUCT THROUGH THE UNCERTAINTIES & BOOM THAT THE PANDEMIC PROVED TO BE?

Rande Gerber: Success isn’t always defined by profit. I believe the success that we’ve created for Casamigos has been changing the perception of tequila. When we created Casamigos, we wanted something that was very different from every other tequila, something with no burn. The perfect tasting, smoothest tequila that we made for us to drink and share with friends.

The fact is that if you don’t have a great product, it’s not going to work. Some brands attempt to fool the customer with big marketing campaigns, made-up stories, and fancy bottles. For Casamigos, it has always been about what’s inside the bottle.

AS THE ARCHITECT FOR THE BRAND’S FUTURE, WHAT DO YOU SEE IN YOUR CASAMIGOS CRYSTAL BALL?

Rande Gerber: We are always thinking ahead and have some ideas in the works, but we are really proud of what we have done and are focused on the continued growth of our Tequila and Mezcal.

WHAT IS THE MOST IMPACTFUL STORY ABOUT CASAMIGOS TO COME OUT OF THE PERIOD OF THE PANDEMIC?

Rande Gerber: For the past few years, my team has not been able to get together in person in the office or for those really fun outings we usually do a few times a year. I’m most proud of keeping everyone as enthusiastic and involved as they were from the beginning throughout this whole pandemic. Even though we aren’t in the office together, the growth of the company has never been greater. Every year we continue to grow at least 100%, and it’s nice to see that my team remains as excited today as the day I hired them.

WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE AGAVE SPIRITS CATEGORY’S BOOMING SUCCESS?

Rande Gerber: We launched Casamigos back in 2013. It was not a celebrity tequila. My friend George just happened to be an actor, but it was born out of our desire to drink the best tasting, smoothest tequila with our friends. I’m proud that we helped grow the tequila category to what it is today, and I wish everyone a lot of luck. Many will learn that it takes time, dedication, and authenticity, and most of all, a great product such as Casamigos to succeed.

WHAT IS YOUR TRICK TO SELLING 2 MILLION CASES IN 2021 ALONE?

Rande Gerber: We really haven’t changed our philosophy; number one, it’s about the product. We have a great tequila, and people understand the differences in that. And when you start with that, your job is to get people to try it. I was confident that they would switch from whatever other brand they may have been drinking in the past once they tried it. So many people are drinking Casamigos, more and more every day, and they spread the word. So many of those customers who were drinking vodka, whiskey, gin, and other liquors are now drinking Casamigos. You can’t have a product that’s only a little bit better than others because then people will go back to what they know. That’s why you have to create a product that’s much better than others that really stands out. That’s the true secret to success.

WHAT IS THE CASAMIGOS HOUSE TOAST?

Rande Gerber: I drink Casamigos neat or on the rocks. “Brought to you by those who drink it,” so here’s to good friends!

Consumers and tequila and mezcal connoisseurs alike enjoy and appreciate the authenticity of Casamigos with quality that can be tasted, so raise a glass with the award-winning spirit. Casamigos.

For more info, visit casamigos.com/en-us, follow on Facebook @ casamigos, Instagram @ casamigos, and Twitter @ Casamigos.

AGAVE: The agaves are 100% Blue Weber, aged 7 to 9 years, from the rich clay soil of the Highlands of Jalisco, Mexico. SLOW COOKING: Agave piñas are roasted in traditional brick ovens for 72 hours, while most others steam theirs for 7 hours. EXTRA SLOW FERMENTATION: Its unique flavor is a result of an 80-hour fermentation process, compared to the average 48 hours. PROPRIETARY YEAST: It's Master Distiller uses a special yeast blend resulting in a consistent, refined flavor, unlike the commercial yeasts others use. COLOR: Crystal clear. AROMA: Hints of citrus and sweet agave. FLAVOR: Fruit forward with notes of vanilla and grapefruit. WATER: Purified water from its well. REST: 2 months in stainless steel.

REPOSADO

AGAVE: The agaves are 100% Blue Weber, aged 7 to 9 years, from the rich clay soil of the Highlands of Jalisco, Mexico. SLOW COOKING: Its agave piñas are roasted in traditional brick ovens for 72 hours, while most others steam theirs for 7 hours. EXTRA SLOW FERMENTATION: Its unique flavor is a result of an 80-hour fermentation process, compared to the average 48 hours. PROPRIETARY YEAST: It's Master Distiller uses a special yeast blend resulting in a consistent, refined flavor, unlike the commercial yeasts others use. COLOR: Golden honey AROMA: Caramel with hints of cocoa. FLAVOR: Notes of dried fruits and spicy oak with a touch of sweet agave. WATER: Purified water from our own well. AGED: 7 months in premium American white oak barrels.

AÑEJO

AGAVE: Its agaves are 100% Blue Weber, aged 7 to 9 years, from the rich clay soil of the Highlands of Jalisco, Mexico. SLOW COOKING: Its agave piñas are roasted in traditional brick ovens for 72 hours, while most others steam theirs for 7 hours. EXTRA SLOW FERMENTATION: Its unique flavor is a result of an 80-hour fermentation process, compared to the average 48 hours. PROPRIETARY YEAST: It's Master Distiller uses a special yeast blend resulting in a consistent, refined flavor, unlike the commercial yeasts others use. COLOR: Rich caramel. AROMA: Soft caramel and vanilla notes. FLAVOR: Perfect balance of sweetness from the Blue Weber agaves layered with hints of spice and barrel oak. WATER: Purified water from our own well. AGED: 14 months in premium American white oak barrels.

MEZCAL

AGAVE: Its agaves are 100% Espadín, grown for 8 to 9 years in Oaxaca, Mexico SLOW COOKING: Casamigos Mezcal is made using the traditional method. Once harvested, the piñas are split and laid to cook for 4 to 6 days in six-ton earthen pits lined with volcanic rock. CRUSHING: Piñas are cooled for 24 hours before the crushing process begins. In the traditional method, the agave is crushed one ton at a time by a horse-drawn tahona wheel. FERMENTATION: Depending on the season, Casamigos Mezcal ferments for 2–8 days before being distilled in covered copper pot stills. Casamigos is twice-distilled. COLOR: Crystal Clear AROMA: Fragrant herbal and fruit, with hints of smoke. FLAVOR: Notes of smoke and black pepper lead to long silky finish. RESTS: Up to 2 months. HERITAGE: Produced in Oaxaca by a 4th generation family of Mezcaleros.