A bottle of Patrón Añejo | |
Type | Premium tequila |
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Manufacturer | The Patrón Spirits Company |
Country of origin | México |
Introduced | 1989 |
Proof (US) | 80 |
Variants | Añejo, Burdeos, Citrónge, Gran Platinum, Reposado, Silver, XO Cafe, XO Cafe Dark Cocoa |
Patrón is a brand of tequila products produced in Mexico by the Patrón Spirits Company.
Patrón tequila is offered in several different varieties: Gran Patrón Burdeos, Gran Patrón Platinum, Gran Patrón Piedra, Patrón Silver, Patrón Añejo, and Patrón Reposado. It is also available in a tequila-coffee blend known as Patrón XO Cafe, a tequila-chocolate-coffee blend known as Patrón XO Cafe Dark Cocoa, and an orange liqueur known as Patrón Citrónge.
Patrón tequilas, like all tequilas, are made from the "Maguey" (heart or core) of the blue agave plant.
The original Patrón Tequila was produced by Casa 7 Leguas, one of the oldest Mexican distilleries. St. Maarten Spirits (owners John Paul DeJoria and Martin Crowley) purchased the brand rights in 1989 and in 2002 production moved to a new distillery.
In 2000, Ed Brown took over as CEO, and began to distance the Patrón brand from the reputation of tequila in the US as a bad-tasting spirit and what people drank for extremely quick intoxication. Following the advertising strategy of Grey Goose, Patrón presented its tequila as "premium" and signalled "taste and sophistication" through individually-numbered glass bottles. The target audience is mostly vodka drinkers in nightclubs and trendy bars. Through persistent references by country music and hip hop singers, and by Lil Jon in particular, Patrón has become a fixture of popular culture.
Patrón sponsors the sports car racing team Extreme Speed Motorsports, co-owned by Ed Brown.
Patron XO Cafe is a premium coffee flavoured version of Patron.