Patrón Picks a Side in Contentious Additive-Free Tequila Debate

(Photos: Patrón)

On Tuesday, Patrón Tequila waded into the additive-free tequila debate with a new campaign celebrating its “no secret ingredients” recipe. The announcement comes at a precipitous crossroads in the additive-free movement as fewer and fewer brands are daring to use the language.

Consumers across the U.S. will find Patrón’s latest campaign plastered onto billboards, truck wraps and transport hubs in states like New York, New Jersey and Chicago. The gist of the messaging is pretty simple — Patrón contains no additives. Taglines for the campaign feature to-the-point slogans like “No Sweeteners. No Extracts. No Secrets.” and “Agave. Water. Time. Or What We Call Good Tequila.”

“We understand that consumers care deeply about what goes into their tequila,” Patrón Tequila CMO Ned Duggan said in a news release. “That’s why our ‘100% Additive-Free Tequila’ campaign is so important — it enables us to connect with even more tequila lovers and showcase how committed we’ve always been to staying true to our additive-free roots. From the very beginning, Patrón has never wavered on our long, careful process and high-quality ingredients.”

So long as additives make up less than 1% of the total liquid in a bottle, tequila distillers are not required to disclose their presence on the label. Though that might sound like a slim number, just a single drop of the usual suspects can drastically alter the profile of a given spirit. The main additives — legally referred to as “abocantes” — found in tequila include glycerin (for achieving a smooth mouthfeel), oak extract (for adding aromas and flavors of barrel aging), caramel coloring (to add a darker tint) and sugar based-syrup (for sweetening).

The topic has evolved into a hot-button issue within the community, particularly given that certain regulators and brands appear intent on shutting down the debate.

For years, Tequila Matchmaker and its Additive-Free Alliance spearheaded the movement with third-party, additive-free testing conducted at distilleries across Mexico. The organization’s list of confirmed additive-free brands was a gold standard for distillers hoping to prove their transparency bona fides. Users tuned in online as dozens, eventually hundreds of brands filled out the prestigious list.

All of that came to an end in October when Tequila Matchmaker discontinued the certification program. The Tequila Regulatory Council — the non-government org tasked with overseeing the industry — had long declared its opposition to the movement, going so far as to denounce additive-free labeling efforts and allegedly threaten brands that didn’t comply. Tequila Matchmaker co-founder Grover Sanschagrin told media he cautiously scrubbed the list in an attempt to “protect” distillers from retaliation.

And in enters Patrón. Whether or not its latest campaign will draw ire from regulators is yet to be seen, though it should be noted that the brand is advertising — not labeling — its products as additive-free. If the ads gain traction, there’s a good chance we’ll see other brands gain confidence in their additive-free messaging.

“We’re excited to bring our ‘100% Additive-Free Tequila’ campaign to life in bold, unexpected ways,” Patrón Tequila Global Vice President for Creative Excellence Laila Mignoni added. “From eye-catching billboards and out of home displays that highlight Patrón Tequila’s unwavering commitment to no secret ingredients, to disruptive truck wraps and a creative one ingredient cocktail book that remind bartenders and trade that we’ve always been additive free — Patrón is redefining how consumers engage with our brand.”