For many, Jose Cuervo is the first brand that comes to mind when thinking of tequila.
However, a man who says he’s worked in the alcohol business for years has gone viral for saying the brand simply isn’t what it is made out to be.
In a video with over 5.5 million views, TikTok user EVERYTHINGBOOZIE (@everythingboozie) gave the rundown on tequila brands and made a big revelation about Jose Cuervo.
@everythingboozie Tequila isnt that hard #everythingboozie #fyp #teqila ♬ original sound – EVERYTHINGBOOZIE
“I’ve worked in the alcohol industry for about four years now, learned a lot of stuff (ins and outs), and I want to share those with you,” he began his video.
In this particular clip, the self-described booze connoisseur gave the lowdown on tequila.
“The different colors; that just means it was aged in a barrel for longer,” he explained. “It’s the exact same liquid.”
According to the TikToker, some tequila categories, like “silver” or “Plata” are just names used for marketing and don’t indicate anything about the quality of the liquor or ingredients.
However, the big reveal came when he explained that some varieties of tequila are more akin to “tequila-flavored” liquor.
“This is tequila-flavored liquor,” he said while pointing to bottles of silver and gold Jose Cuervo. “If it doesn’t say 100% agave, that means up to 49% of the sugars used in it aren’t agave.”
He explained that these tequilas may use other sugars or even artificial sweeteners as ingredients.
“That’s why you get such a bad hangover,” he concluded.
Jose Cuervo tequilas fall under the category of “mixto tequilas,” which only need to be made of 51% agave to be considered tequila. The agave plant takes 10-12 years to mature and ripen, while sugar cane can be harvested annually. As a result, it is cheaper to mix agave with less expensive sweeteners like sugar cane. The Daily Dot reached out to Jose Cuervo via email contact form for more information.
In the comments section, many viewers were surprised by the revelation.
“You’re telling me I’ve been downing my tequila flavored liquor like water and now I have to actually go buy real tequila to see if it’s the same?” one commenter wrote.
“YOURE TELLING ME JOSE ISNT TEQUILA WHAT IS THIS LIFE?” another asked.
“It’s still technically tequila but BARELY,” EVERYTHINGBOOZIE clarified.
Other viewers asked for recommendations for the best tequila brands.
“So what are some 100% agave tequilas that are common at bars?” one user asked.
In a follow-up video, the TikToker went more into depth about tequila. He explained the different aging periods, which cause the alcohol to take on different hues. Essentially, the darker tequilas have been aged the longest. However, he also outed “gold” tequila as nothing more than clear alcohol with additives used to change its color and make it appear aged.
The Daily Dot contacted EVERYTHINGBOOZIE via TikTok comment for more information.
