Agave Growers Accuse Four New Tequila Brands of Adulteration, Misleading Advertising

(Photo: Carlos Tischler/ Eyepix Group via AP Newsroom)

Last week, Remberto Galván Cabrera accused four tequila brands of adulterating their liquid with industrial cane alcohol. Galván is the legal representative for Agaveros 100 Por Ciento de Origen Mexicano, a coalition of agave farmers that has protested against alleged corruption within the tequila industry since January.

At a press conference held on October 16, Galván pointed to scientific evidence obtained from the France-based Eurofins laboratory. Using a method called Nuclear Magnetic Resonance testing, the lab was reportedly able to determine that four tequila samples labeled as “100% agave” contained demonstrably less than advertised. According to Galván, two of the tequilas barely reached 51% agave content, while the other two clocked in lower than 33%.

Galván is withholding the brand names for the time being, citing concerns over his personal safety. Mezcalistas reports that the tested tequilas did not include Don Julio, Casamigos, Cincoro or 818, the four brands currently facing class action lawsuits in the United States over similar claims of adulteration.

The lab results are the basis of a legal complaint filed by Galván in September. The complaint, which accuses conspirators of a “crime against public health,” was lodged against three parties: a “well-known chain of wine and liquor stores,” a “multinational chain of self-service stores” and the Tequila Regulatory Council (CRT).

“We call on President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo to intervene,” the statement reads. “The tequila industry, under the protection of the CRT, is committing what we commonly call huachicol: selling tequila labeled as ‘100% agave’ that is actually mixed with industrial cane alcohol intended for pharmaceutical use. This cheap cane alcohol is prohibited for human consumption, as it causes addiction, cirrhosis, and other health risks. Meanwhile, agave from our fields is left to rot, unused.”

The complaint urges President Sheinbaum to stop the sale of “adulterated” tequila, also demanding that the government require testing to verify the botanical origin of alcohol products.

The CRT has resoundingly denied accusations of adulteration within the tequila industry. In an email statement shared in January, the CRT called out Galván by name, saying that “unsubstantiated claims against the CRT, producers, and other key actors is inappropriate and harmful.”

“Mr. Galván’s claims of corruption against the CRT lack evidence and appear intended to damage the reputation of an organization that has overseen the Tequila Denomination of Origin for 30 years,” the CRT wrote. “The CRT is responsible for inspecting, analyzing, and certifying all aspects of Tequila production, from agave cultivation to bottling, ensuring the authenticity and quality of Mexico’s national drink.”

The Mexican Chamber of the Tequila Industry (CNIT) stands by the CRT’s statement.

“The CRT operates its own specialized laboratories, accredited under international standards, and has the necessary infrastructure to guarantee the traceability and authenticity of all products protected under the Denomination of Origin Tequila,” CNIT general director Ana Cristina Villalpando Fonseca wrote. “No other person, institution, or group — regardless of its claims — holds the legal authority or technical capacity to issue official determinations regarding adulteration or regulatory compliance.”