You can say Graciela Gonzalez has tequila in her blood. For more than 150 years, her family has been making award-winning handcrafted tequila in Jalisco, Mexico. Grace – as her friends and colleagues call her – represents the fourth generation of one of Mexico’s most reputable tequila distillation families. A distiller herself – the first woman in her family to hold that role – she also serves as the ambassador for El Mayor® Tequila, Luxco’s premium tequila brand. Just like El Mayor Tequila, her journey has been carefully crafted over many years.

“My father has one rule: to become a distiller in our family you have to work in all the roles to get a sense of the whole process,” said Gonzalez. “I started in the warehouse and worked my way up to a certified spirits sommelier specializing in tequila, and I’m now a distiller. During that time, I was able to spend time in the fields, witnessing agave plantings and harvests – a cycle that takes upwards of seven years. And I had a front-row view of the entire distillation process for our
Blanco, Reposado, Cristalino, Añejo and Extra Añejo tequilas, as well as our special-edition creations. I’m so happy to have had such a deep and diverse experience, because I love knowing how every part of the process brings our award-winning tequilas to life.”

Grace’s father, Master Distiller Rodolfo Gonzalez, still oversees every drop of tequila that leaves Destiladora Gonzalez Lux, where El Mayor Tequila, Dos Primos® Tequila and Exotico® Tequila are crafted – but it’s Grace who serves as the face of the brand.

In 2023, Grace will continue to be featured in El Mayor ads and on marketing materials. She also will host exclusive tastings across North America where she will visit with distributors and key accounts and teach people about the complexity of tequila. In addition, she will help introduce El Mayor’s limited-edition expressions across markets.

“2023 is going to be a very special year for El Mayor,” said Gonzalez. “The brand will celebrate its 25th year – and not only will I have the opportunity to educate people about our amazing tequila and history – I have the honor of introducing our 25th Anniversary Extra Añejo Limited-Edition, which has been hand selected from some of our oldest barrel stock.”

The 2023 El Mayor Limited-Edition Tequila is slated to be released in June and is expected to sell out quickly, based on the brand’s growing popularity and the swift sales of previous El Mayor Limited-Editions.

“El Mayor continues to receive wide acclaim from tequila novices and aficionados alike, and the brand’s Limited-Edition tequilas sell very quickly,” said El Mayor Brand Manager Chelsi Hofmeister. “The 2023 Limited-Edition release, commemorating El Mayor’s 25th anniversary, represents the passion and legacy of the Gonzalez family’s craft. And with Grace as our ambassador, we expect it won’t be around for long.”

As Grace’s role continues to expand to meet the many needs of the El Mayor brand family, she remains always grounded and grateful. In a June interview with VinePair she told the reporter, “The bottom line is I feel very privileged to have been born in a family that does what my biggest passion is. And every time I drink tequila, I remember and respect all the hard work that’s behind it.”

THE UPWARD TRAJECTORY OF EL MAYOR

The El Mayor Tequila brand, which celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2023, has been growing nonstop since 2015. Over the last seven years, the brand has posted steady and consistent growth totaling more than 137%! The growth can be attributed to El Mayor’s exceptional products coupled with consumers’ increased interest in the ultra-premium tequila category.

To continue the brand’s upward trajectory into 2023 and beyond, El Mayor is focused on building brand awareness, driving trial and growing distribution. A robust El Mayor marketing campaign will support these efforts with tasting events; influencer partnerships; retail support; and English and multicultural advertising across social, digital and traditional channels targeting affluent and adventurous consumers.

In addition, El Mayor plans to once again offer its popular Master’s Collection barrel program, with a total of 98 barrels allotted. Each barrel selection will arrive in the Master’s Collection packaging with handwritten, custom labels and one display barrel.

“It’s an exciting time for the brand, our distributors and our consumers,” said El Mayor Brand Manager Chelsi Hofmeister. “As demand for premium tequila grows and consumers continue to show preference for fewer but better drinks, El Mayor is positioned for ongoing market growth with its superior, award-winning tequila varieties and specialty releases.”