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Ibiza foodies

From Mexico to Ibiza, via Austria, with love

Padre azul Tequila arrives in Ibiza

Padre azul Tequila, the latest boutique tequila brand to hit Ibiza, was inspired by a love story.

Like all the best stories, it begins with love. This particular tale stretches back years and starts simply, with just a man and a woman. But like all good yarns it becomes more than that, swallowing oceans and continents until eventually it encompasses an entire culture. Over time, it blossoms into a love that knows no bounds, and then all this history is collected up and bottled, and can be tasted in just the tiniest sip of Padre azul Tequila – an entire world shrunk to fit within one drop; an intensity of flavour matched only by the history it masks.  

Padre azul is the silky smooth tequila that’s been making waves internationally and recently arrived on the shores of Ibiza. A premium blend designed to showcase the spirit in its purest form, it’s made using only 100% quality blue agave, and every detail is painstakingly resided over by a pair of dedicated human hands. Treated and presented like a bona fide work of art, Padre azul Tequila is challenging the connotations usually associated with drinking tequila, encouraging us to realign our preconceptions of the drink.  

“Like all the best stories, the tale of Padre azul Tequila begins with love.”

Created and distilled in Jalisco in Mexico, Padre azul Tequila is a wholeheartedly Mexican affair, yet its roots are planted firmly in Europe. The story starts in Austria with a man named Hans Peter Eder, the son of a high quality schnapps producer. Living in Salzurg and going about his daily life, one day he chances upon a woman from Guadalajara who has travelled over from Mexico to study the German language. Her name is Adriana Alvarez Maxemin and before long, the pair are smitten. Despite – or because of – the clash of cultures, sparks fly and within no time at all, Hans Peter is accompanying Adriana back home to ask her father’s permission for her hand in marriage.   It’s here that the seeds for Padre azul Tequila are first sewn. On arriving in Adriana’s parents home, Hans Peter is welcomed into the fold but in a way that he’s not expecting. “Adriana’s father told Hans Peter that in celebration of their union – and to win his official seal of approval – he must take a glass of tequila and toast every single member of the family,” explains Spain brand ambassador, Jaime Blanco Baranda. “So Hans Peter walked around the room clinking glasses with his future family and at this point, his love affair with the culture of Mexico begins. This initiation was what spurred on Hans and his compadres to start Padre azul Tequila.”

Despite a reputation as a party drink in some parts of the world, in Mexico tequila is just one of many daily rituals. It’s sipped at lunchtime; it’s an essential part of every celebration; and it’s a drink that brings together family and friends. “It’s a part of the way of life there,” says Jaime. “That’s why we’re trying to change the experience related to tequila, and that’s why Hans Peter is so passionate about it. Before meeting Adriana’s father, all he associated with tequila was lemon wedges and a headache!”  

The key to changing opinions, of course, lies in creating a premium product using only the finest ingredients and a highly refined series of processes. The agave used to make Padre azul Tequila is grown in alkaline soil in the valleys near Jalisco, where the arid landscape and high temperatures produce drier, more fibrous agave. It’s left to grow for eight to ten years before harvesting and then steamed in a masonry for 24 to 48 hours. “We don’t use machines to accelerate these processes, it’s all very slow.” explains Jaime. “But it’s worth it, because it improves the quality of the flavour”. What remains is then fermented using only natural yeasts, and finally, once the heads and tails of the plants have been removed, it’s distilled twice at low temperatures to lock in the mellow aftertaste.  

“A devotion to authentic traditions makes Padre azul Tequila the perfect accompaniment to island life here in Ibiza.”

It’s a time intensive, laborious process, but it’s one that’s fuelled by Hans Peter’s consummate respect for Mexican authenticity and the liquid gold so integral to every aspect of that. So much so that this same dedication is seen during every step of Padre azul Tequila’s production. It’s visible in the hand-blown glass used to create the distinctive bottles; the hand-woven leather tied around the neck of each one, and the hand-sculpted skull bottletops that represent the distinctive Day of the Dead theme encapsulated by the brand. It all comes back to preserving the importance of Mexican heritage, and Hans Peter wouldn’t have it any other way.  

Perhaps it’s this devotion to authentic traditions that makes Padre azul Tequila the perfect accompaniment to island life here in Ibiza. Both Mexico and Ibiza share similar family values – the belief that days should be spent with loved ones, and that simple pleasures should be enjoyed with your nearest and dearest, is palpable in both countries so it makes sense that Padre azul Tequila would be welcomed with open arms on the white isle. “The connection to Ibiza is very important to us,” affirms Jaime. “Ibiza marks the beginning of our international expansion. It’s our European home and we’re delighted that it’s finally introducing people to what tequila is really all about.”   

You’ll find Padre azul Tequila at sleek venues such as Ushuaïa Ibiza and Hï Ibiza, in addition to boutique hotels and beach clubs all across the island, not to mention at places where it can be sipped leisurely in the sunshine; the beautiful bottle glinting in the light. “We like people to enjoy Padre azul Tequila socially,” smiles Jaime. “We want to promote and give importance to the responsible consumption of alcohol; less quantity and more quality. With Padre azul Tequila, enjoyment and joy are assured,” he laughs. “What people don’t realise is that our tequila, with its caramel flavours and its smooth finish, tastes completely different to what they expect. It really is from another world.” Be prepared to fall in love.