HAS ANYTHING REALLY CHANGED?

Well, the jury is out. The current embrace of the spirit as something to celebrate with, is hardly a marked shift from its long-held image as a party drink. Though sales are booming, have perceptions changed enough to move tequila more into the everyday drinking repertoire of British drinkers?

Unlike in the US, the UK consumer has far fewer cultural ties to the drink and its less ingrained in drinking culture. Also, the star-power driving some of the industry’s fastest growing brands — it seems every US celebrity now aspires to own one — doesn’t fully resonate on this side of the pond either. Sure, we’ve heard of George Clooney, Kendall Jenner and The Rock, but I’ll give you £5 if you can tell me who Diego Osorio, Jeanie Buss or John Varvatos are.

Though the days of shooting tequila are diminishing, its lingering associations with big nights out still prevent it from being an obvious choice for consumers simply looking for a low-key week night drink, especially in a market increasingly driven by lower-strength refreshment. Brand owners will have to work hard to bring tequila to the level of gin, something that has become an auto-pilot order for many British consumers.

And — not wanting to feed into the stereotype of weather-obsessed Brits — but do we really have the climate to sustain sales? Though many fine, artisan tequilas, should be and rightly are appreciated yearround for their nuanced flavour and smooth taste, the vast majority of Brits still view it as a sunshine drink, especially when it comes to cocktails. Once the flurry of exuberant escapism drinking has died down and the winter coats come out, what then?

And finally — perhaps crucially for any brands now eyeing the market — do Brits truly understand what makes a good tequila? And do they have any knowledge of the different variants available? Sure, Patron has done a great job in educating global markets as to what a tequila truly can be taste-wise, but are consumers discerning enough to weed out quality new liquids from those that simply look good?