Guy Fieri Releases Extra Añejo Tequila Months After an Unsolved $1 Million Heist Vanished It from the Market

(Photo: Santo Spirits)

“Mayor of Flavortown” Guy Fieri is back in the headlines with the launch of Santo Extra Añejo, the sixth release from his spirits brand co-founded alongside Van Halen frontman Sammy Hagar.

Though it may sound like a run-of-the-mill tequila release at first glance, its backstory is anything but. Forty cases of this exact expression were stolen in a cross-border heist at the end of last year in a saga widely reported by outlets ranging from Forbes to The New York Times. Mysteries surrounding the stolen trucks still linger to this day, codifying this latest release as something of a true crime memento.

First, let’s dive into the tequila. Fieri’s new Extra Añejo is aged 41 months in ex-bourbon barrels, making it the oldest age-stated release from Santo Spirits by nearly two years. Produced under the eye of third-generation distiller Juan Eduardo Nuñez, the expression was made using highland agaves and an additive-free recipe before bottling at 80 proof. The brand says to expect aromas of green apple, orange zest and butterscotch followed by a palate of grilled sweetcorn, bell pepper, citrus and caramel.

Santo Tequila Extra Añejo is now available for pre-order at a suggested retail price of $149.99. That figure is likely to double once it finds it ways to retailers given that less than 240 bottles are up for grabs.

It’s unclear whether the team originally imagined this as a limited release. Toward the end of November, reports began circulating that two trucks carrying Santo Tequila had vanished in Laredo, Texas, which sits a stone’s throw away from the U.S.-Mexico border. The shipments, destined for California and Pennsylvania, carried an estimated 24,240 bottles, 40 cases of which were the brand’s then-unrevealed Extra Añejo single barrel. Santo estimated the damages at roughly $1 million.

In an incident report obtained by PEOPLE, shipping partner Johanson claimed that the trucks were illegally double-brokered between two different carriers. It’s believed that the shipments switched hands sometime after they crossed the border and that criminals used a GPS emulator to cover their tracks. Hagar told Fox News that the theft was “well planned,” ominously adding that “some kind of organization” was behind the maneuver.

The content of one of the two trucks was located in late December in the Los Angeles area. Among the recovered loot — the Extra Añejo now being released to consumers. The contents of the other truck have remained unfound, with the team remaining tight-lipped about the alleged perpetrators in interviews.

“Our original Añejo release was a real winner – so much so we had two delivery trucks of our tequila stolen last year, including a private barrel selection of something very special: our first Extra Añejo,” Hagar remarked in a news release. “Guy (Fieri) and I have been working hard to get back on track since the theft, and as part of that recovery, we thought it was time to let a broader audience enjoy this precious extra aged tequila.”

Since its launch in 2017, Santo Spirits has released a Blanco, Reposado and Añejo alongside a High Proof expression bottled at 110 proof and a “Mezquila” that blends tequila with mezcal.