The ballad of Tequila Corrido began several years before local restaurateur Brian Raab took on a vital role in the company. Corridos, typically a traditional Mexican-style ballad that narrates an event, are all about storytelling.
“Our product is meant to be shared, offering people a way to experience life together,” says Brian Raab, president and partner of Tequila Corrido. “We created a taste unparalleled in the spirits world.”
Raab is no stranger to the hospitality industry in Phoenix. The CEO and founder of The Mission and Fat OX, Raab credits himself as a Life Coach at Tequila Corrido. Headquartered in Scottsdale, Tequila Corrido came to Raab’s attention through his friend and founder of the brand, Brad Hoover. After Hoover unexpectedly passed away in 2010, the brand became stagnant for a couple of years.
“I’ve always loved what Tequila Corrido stood for. I knew we had a challenge at the start — essentially bringing it back to life,” says Raab. “It’s not often in business that you get a second dance.”
Taking over meant finding a team that would support his ideas and the Tequila Corrido mission. He started by calling on his friend of 10 years, Tony Boyle. The local Phoenician was working in Mexico around this time, lending his biotech expertise at the request of the Mexican government. Since 2010, Boyle had been tasked with helping find solutions to the waste that the tequila industry was producing, which was wreaking havoc on the country’s land. He had been working side by side with many of the best and biggest tequila brands in the industry, learning the trade and craft for more than five years.
“I found my passion in the agave,” says Boyle, current COO of Tequila Corrido. “When Brian called me, I told him to come to Mexico and he jumped on a plane. We both realized pretty quickly we had similar ideas and wanted to be part of the tequila industry.”
With Boyle on board, Raab discovered old notes from Hoover about a well-known master distiller in Mexico who was respected for her knowledge of the agave and her no-nonsense approach to negotiating. Her name was Ana María Romero. Boyle found her in Guadalajara and visited her.
“Ana María is a force,” said Raab. “She is very well-known in the industry. I would put her up against any other distiller out there. When she said yes to working with us, we knew we were embarking on something special.”
In 2018, Tequila Corrido launched with a fresh look and a new taste that took them to the next level, with nearly everything sourced straight from Mexico. In 2019, Raab and Boyle met with well-known Arizona entrepreneur and philanthropist Mike Watts. The duo spoke to Watts about what they were doing — relaying the message about an agave that brings people together. Watts signed on and Tequila Corrido had its team.
“Then 2020 happened,” Raab relates. “A pivotal year for every business in the world. The pandemic hurt a lot of industries. We went through similar challenges with shortages of product and limited resources. But sales continued to steadily increase.”
Raab notes the process of creating great tequila is not an easy one. “As one of only a few tequilas with no additives, our refined, double-distilled approach and precise barrel-aging process ensure each batch is meticulously crafted every time. We take pride in our distilling process because we know that our consumers deserve only the best tequila with the best taste.”
Over the last three years, Tequila Corrido has expanded its footprint as demand continues to soar for premium top-tier alcohol. The additive-free spirit launched in Tennessee, Las Vegas, New Mexico, Texas and Colorado. In 2022, the company inked a distribution deal with Republic National Distributing Company of Arizona — the prominent North American distributor of fine wines and spirits.
“Tequila is a booming industry, and in just a few short years we have seen a 150% increase in where you can get our product in just Arizona alone,” says Raab.
Even with the success, Raab says it’s important to stay true to the authenticity of the product. The spirit, barrel-aged in its distillery located in Arandas Jalisco and available in three expressions, Tequila Corrido Blanco, Tequila Corrido Reposado and Tequila Corrido Añejo, plans to launch additional products in the future.
“With every harvest, Tequila Corrido pays homage to the tequila-making traditions and stories behind its evolution. In every bottle, Tequila Corrido captures the attention to detail, commitment to excellence and pursuit of enjoyment in all aspects of life,” says Raab.
And long after the music stops, Tequila Corrido continues to connect people and their stories.
Did You Know: Spirits are having a moment — leading the growth in recent consumer studies. Tequila sales, which rose 7.3% in 2022, are up nearly 6% so far this year, according to NielsenIQ.
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