Tequila has not generally been my tipple of choice, but I was quite blown away with Pancho Datos when I first tasted it at a dinner a few weeks ago. Tequila Pancho Datos is a family-run business that has roots in Mexican folklore, as the character of Pancho Datos was originally created by Ricardo Grijalva de León in 1947, with his poems about the Mexican Revolution becoming an iconic piece of Mexican literature. Today, Luis Carlos Grijalva continues his grandfather’s legacy through producing something that equally goes straight to the heart.
Tequila Pancho Datos uses only agave grown to maturity in the lowland valleys around the town of El Arenal, Jalisco. It is a premium 100% Blue Weber agave tequila crafted with some love and attention, and I duly loved it. They offer two expressions of tequila: Plata and Reposado.
Plata is unaged and smooth, showcasing a natural balance of herbal, slightly sweet, and peppery notes, while Reposado is aged for 10 months in ex-bourbon White Oak casks, resulting in a tequila full of agave, vanilla, caramel, and wood flavours.
Now with National Tequila Day approaching on July 24th, Tequila Pancho Datos have announced a collaboration with Atelier Coupette in Soho, where they will be offering a complimentary Paloma cocktail to the first 100 customers. This bespoke Paloma recipe is called the Atelier Paloma, and features Pancho Datos Reposado Tequila, agave-roasted pineapple, herbed grapefruit soda, and salt, providing a refreshing and tropical twist on the classic Paloma.
Atelier Coupette, the sister bar to the renowned Coupette, which ranked number 23 in The World’s 50 Best Bars in 2019 and offers sustainable cocktails made from locally sourced ingredients. The bar’s ethos revolves around minimising waste and maximising flavour, demonstrated by innovative practices such as using spent coffee kombucha and yogurt whey.
The food menu offers French-inspired small plates, such as smoked duck breast and chargrilled octopus, designed to complement the drinks. Pancho Datos’ brand owner, Stuart Wischhusen, said “We are super excited to partner with Atelier Coupette for National Tequila Day, such a cool venue. Their dedication to sustainability and quality mirrors our own values, making this partnership feel like a perfect fit. The Atelier Paloma that they’ve created really brings out the great flavours of our Reposado Tequila and we can’t wait to see their customers try it out on one of our favourite days of the year! Bring on National Tequila Day!”
Stuart, who I promise you is super-nice and well worth meeting, will be present at Atelier Coupette on National Tequila Day offering a casual tasting of their two tequila expressions. Complimentary Palomas are limited to one cocktail per person, after which they will be available to purchase. Note that due to licensing customers will need to order a food item to claim their free Pancho Datos Paloma, albeit I don’t see that as being a disadvantage here.
Viva La Revolucion etc, or just pass me the tequila.
Atelier Coupette, 9 Moor Street, Soho W1d 5ND – 020 3336 8525 – www.coupette.co.uk