Exploring LALO: How Don Julio González’s Grandson Reinvented the Additive-Free Tequila Landscape

(Photo: LALO Tequila)

Since 2017, tequila sales have skyrocketed across the United States thanks to celebrity investors, ample product placement and a cultural zeitgeist that extends from the club to the dimly lit speakeasy. Amidst the shuffle, it’s difficult for new names to stand out. Especially ones that harken back to an “old-school” ethos.

None of this has stopped LALO from dominating the conversation.

If you’ve spent any time browsing online spirits forums over the past couple of years, there’s a good chance you’ve already seen the brand’s white-and-gold bottle making the rounds. LALO has attracted rave reviews, an endless sprawl of awards and even a write-up in The New York Times. Most noteworthy of all, the brand produces only a single spirit, an additive-free tequila blanco priced at a modest $45.

We sat down with founder and maestro tequilero Eduardo “Lalo” González — grandson of Don Julio’s very own Don Julio González — to understand what makes his tequila tick. According to González, the secret ingredient is an attention to history and all the finer details within.

Behind the Blanco

(Photo: LALO)

“My grandfather started working in a tequila distillery when he was seven. At that time, he was a janitor. Ten years later, in 1942,  he bought a distillery of his own with a loan,” González tells us. 

“In 1987, our family threw a party to celebrate the 45th year of my grandfather’s distillery. My father wanted to honor his father with an exclusive special-edition tequila to commemorate the occasion. This tequila would eventually come to be known as Don Julio.” 

Decades later, the rest is history. Don Julio was eventually acquired by spirits giant Diageo in 2015 and is today uniquely synonymous with the ballooning popularity of high-end, premium agave spirits. As González grew older, he imagined starting a brand of his own that brought the concept back to basics. A brand that combined visions of contemporary Mexico with old-school techniques experiencing a resurgence.

“The idea behind LALO is to bring people back to additive-free traditionally made blanco tequilas. We’re focused on a blanco because we want to honor the agave. I and my co-founder David R. Carballido thought, ‘we drink blanco, not reposado, añejo or extra añejo.’ So why not make something for us.” 

Additives — defined as either glycerin, oak extract, caramel coloring or sugar-based syrups — have emerged as the end-all talking point surrounding agave spirits in recent years. Many consumers still associate tequila with their earliest introduction to the spirit; more often than not, waking up with a regret-inducing hangover after taking one too many shots. As tequila gathers popularity, a new generation of brands is attempting to change the narrative. Without additives, tequila can transform into an entirely different spirit.

“At that time, three or four years ago, additives were a thing but not a popular talking point. We were one of the very first brands that started talking about additives in this way; how clean the spirit is, discussing the production process easily and transparently for consumers,” says González.  

The term has gradually morphed into a battle cry. For die-hard spirits lovers, the “Confirmed Additive-Free” label doled out by Tequila Matchmaker is the definitive stamp of approval. The cream of the crop. According to insiders, it’s a designation that only around 30% of tequila brands can claim.

While LALO has grown synonymous with the additive-free movement, it has also taken steps to increase accessibility. At $45, the brand aims to appeal to aficionados while also courting interest from those casually perusing the liquor store shelf.

“In the market, there’s kind of a blank space. There are consumers who love G4, Tequila Ocho, Fortaleza — amazing, beautifully made brands. Then there’s another group, a majority of consumers, that loves their Casamigos, Patron, Don Julio. It’s very hard to please both markets. It’s hard to conquer — if that’s the word you want to use, ‘conquer’ — both sides,” remarks González. 

“Our goal is to please the purists, the agave enthusiasts, but also with a story and design that pleases the other market. And the other market is turning into a geeky one, an aficionado one. We’re on a great path toward bridging the divide.”

On the Horizon

(Photo: LALO)

Like many of the best agave spirits, LALO’s formula is relatively straightforward. Highlands agave, deep well water, Champagne yeast (a LALO specialty) and copper pot stills. By the time it hits the bottle, the spirit balances contrasting aromas of confectioner’s sugar and citrus with unexpected flavors of tropical fruit, honey, buttercream and a hint of minerality.

González is hesitant to change up the recipe, much less expand into aged expressions like a reposado or añejo. Still, LALO has innovations planned on the horizon. González tells us that the brand is currently exploring flavor profiles for a still-strength blanco that should launch by the end of the year. Bottle design in progress. 

By the end of 2024, LALO is also on track to becoming a national brand, “available near you” in every meaning of the phrase.

“LALO is a consumable — not a collectible — product. You don’t have to pay a crazy amount of money to have it on your bar cart. And you won’t feel guilty if you pour it into a cocktail,” says González. 

“We want LALO to be able to reach the hands of every consumer. We want to make additive-free tequila available to everyone.” 

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