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F1 star Lewis Hamilton launches non-alcoholic Tequila-alternative
Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton has switched lanes with the launch of Almave, a new alcohol-free drink made using Blue Agave and closely following the techniques used to produce Tequila.
The seven-time Formula One champion launched the new product on Wednesday 25 October, a project which he said he has been working on “for a long time” alongside Iván Saldaña, co-founder and master distiller of Mexican spirits brand Casa Lumbre.
The duo announced two expressions: Almave Ámbar Distilled Non-Alcoholic Blue Agave Spirit, created for sipping, and Almave Blanco Distilled Non-Alcoholic Blue Agave Spirit, created for mixing.
Almave is made from the same raw materials in the same part of Mexico, but skips the fermentation period which produces alcohol. Tequila is a protected denomination in Mexico, meaing Almave can be referred to as a Blue Agave spirit, but the brand cannot call it a Tequila.
The Mercedes driver said of his new venture: “There’s a huge appetite for quality alternatives for those times when people don’t want to drink alcohol but also don’t want to compromise on flavour, which is why it was important that our product includes agave to reflect the taste of conventional tequila. I think it tastes amazing and what we have created is unlike anything else on the market.”
Almave Ámbar will retail at $39.99 per 700ml bottle of Almave Blanco will retail at $35.99 per 700ml.
Co-founder and master distiller, Iván Saldaña said that while Almave is not a Tequila, “we are immensely proud of how we are leading the non-alcoholic category in staying true to the production and craft of making Tequila, specifically the use of real agave and distillation”.
He added: “While there are faster ways, we could not imagine a worthwhile non-alcoholic spirit without it. So, using our deep knowledge and spirit of discovery, we created Almave Blue Agave Spirit.”
Almave will roll out to retailers and bars nationally in the US (and internationally in select regions) in 2024. Fans can join the waiting list for the alcohol-free spirit, which can be purchased as of Thursday 26 October.
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