There’s a new blanco tequila on the block from Don Julio’s Grandson, and it’s called LALO.
LALO is named after co-founder and maestro tequilero Eduardo “Lalo” González, the grandson of Don Julio González of the iconic Don Julio tequila brand. Lalo and David R Carballido, his childhood friend and co-founder, sought to create a truly pure blanco tequila to share with friends and family at home in Guadalajara, Mexico. Both men had worked separately in the tequila industry for more than a decade, taking notice of trends and preferences for various brands throughout the years. They reconnected when David was working to launch a new tequila for Don Julio and reached out to Lalo to learn more about his family. Upon hearing stories of his grandfather and the tequila-making process, the old friends realized they shared similar ideas about how tequila should be made and decided to create their own brand. After several years of development and a tremendous reception at home in Guadalajara, friends and family in the US began to ask for LALO. Lalo and David partnered with Jim McDermott, their trusted friend who would later become David’s husband, to bring the tequila stateside. The trio decided the best place to introduce the brand was Austin, Texas with offices in the historic Clarksville neighborhood, just west of downtown.
LALO is made with only three ingredients—agave, yeast, and deep well water. Each fully mature agave plant has been hand-selected from the Jalisco Highlands, cooked in stone ovens using a traditional process, and distilled only twice to maintain the agave’s integrity. During fermentation, a proprietary yeast used in Champagne is introduced, a prime differentiating factor for LALO.
“Using a yeast strain adapted for Champagne is very unique for tequila,” González said. “It allows us to combine the richness of our agave with subtle fruity notes of wine. I love what it does with the juice.”
The resulting liquid is a viscous, platinum-colored spirit with aromas of cooked agave, sweet potato, cinnamon, and a hint of dulce de leche. On the palate, notes of citrus and tropical fruit develop after the first sip, creating a nuanced, full-flavor experience. It is priced at $46 per 750ml bottle and it is available for shipping in 47 states.
“People can’t believe the price when they taste it,” said Carballido, co-founder and creative director for LALO. “We want everything about this tequila to be honest – from the ingredients, to the packaging, to the price — we don’t want LALO to be a special occasion spirit. Drinking it makes any occasion special. Tequila is the people’s spirit, after all.”
Every batch of LALO is produced at Arandas distillery in the Jalisco Highlands, two hours northeast of Guadalajara. Every person involved in the manufacturing process is from the area and everyone earns fair wages.
“As the next generation of Mexican tequileros, we take very seriously our responsibility to the communities that we work with,” said González. “Through our labor standards and community development initiatives we are proud to support the local families of Los Altos de Jalisco.”
LALO is available in select liquor stores, restaurants, bars, and hotels throughout Texas. The purchase online head over to the official web store.
