NEWS RELEASE

LUXCO RE-LAUNCHES EL MAYOR™ TEQUILA

Sophisticated Ultra-Premium Tequila Enters Select Markets in
Luxurious New Packaging

As tequila continues to gain popularity among connoisseurs, Luxco Inc. is proud to re-launch the El Mayor™ family of ultra-premium, 100 percent agave tequilas including the Añejo, Reposado and Blanco varieties.

In 2005, the tequila category grew nearly ten percent in volume over the previous year, according to industry information from the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS). The majority of the growth is found in the ultra-premium category. 

To herald the re-launch, El Mayor will debut in a distinctive custom-crafted glass bottle.  All varieties will be featured in the new, sleek, decanter-style bottle that is hand labeled and numbered, and carries a signature of approval from Rodolfo Gonzãlez, Third Generation Master Distiller. 

“El Mayor is ultra-premium tequila which is expertly reflected in the new bottle.  With a sleek decanter shape and provocative curves, the new bottle hints at the sophistication that El Mayor is known for,” said Susan Brewster, group marketing manager for Luxco Inc.

For more than 125 years, El Mayor has been produced by the Gonzãlez family-owned distillery. The Gonzalez family handcrafts El Mayor Tequila from only the finest Blue Agave plants harvested from the highlands of Jalisco. Family tradition and exacting standards guide the planting and cultivating of each agave plant.  Each agave plant is tenderly cared for during the maturation period of eight to ten years.  The agave plants are harvested by a century old technique using a coa to trim off the leaves of the agave and reveal the spherical, pineapple-shaped heart or pina.

The pina are transported to the state-of-the-art Gonzalez distillery, where time-honored, traditional distilling methods are enhanced by twenty-first-century technology to ensure the highest quality, premium tequila.  The pina are slow-cooked to heighten their sugar content.  A millstone is used to gently press the soft pina, extracting the precious honey juice in the same way it’s been done for a century.  A secret family recipe is used to produce a unique yeast that gives El Mayor tequila its distinctive flavor.  After fermentation, the El Mayor tequila is double-distilled in copper-lined pot-stills to achieve the superiority that sets this tequila apart. No tequila makes it into an El Mayor bottle until it gets approval from the discerning palate of tequila master Rodolfo Gonzãlez, Third Generation Master Distiller.

El Mayor Blanco is clean and crisp with full agave flavor and a subtle hint of floral and spice.  It is a great balance to El Mayor Añejo, which is barrel-aged for one to three years to achieve a rich amber nectar that bursts with the flavors of caramel, grilled tropical fruits and spices. Reposado is barrel-aged for up to nine months for a mellow amber color and flavorful notes of fruity agave, vanilla, spice and caramel.

“There is a mystique and romance surrounding Mexican spirits that few other spirits enjoy.  We expect El Mayor to captivate the American tequila aficionado,” Brewster said.

El Mayor will be available in select markets including Atlanta, Dallas, Denver, San Diego and St. Louis beginning September of 2006. The ultra-premium tequila is priced competitively within its category between $35-$50 for a 750 mL bottle of Blanco, Reposado and Anejo.  El Mayor starts shipping nationwide in 2007.

Headquartered in St. Louis and founded in 1958, Luxco Inc. is a leading importer, bottler and marketer of quality wines and spirits. 

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