Respect the Process

Respect the Process: Edmonton’s agave experts choose quality over celebrity

Lauren Kalinowski

Drive through Mexico’s Jalisco state today and you’ll see agave plants everywhere—lining roadsides, replacing front lawns and taking over former playgrounds.

“There is agave planted everywhere now,” says Karen Eggerman, of the import agency Reserva Tequilas, who has spent several years working with craft tequila distillers. “If the house had grass in front, they’ve taken it out and planted agave.”

This landscape transformation illustrates the boom that’s fundamentally changing how Mexico’s national spirit gets made. The global tequila market, valued at $11.04 billion in 2023, has seen explosive growth, with North America capturing 62.14 per cent of market share, according to Fortune Business Insights. But this agave gold rush is creating problems beyond supply and demand.

Traditional agave farming requires patience. Plants need seven to nine years to reach full maturity, developing the complex sugars that create quality tequila. Farmers would sample the centre core of each plant, harvesting selectively when individual agaves were ready, much like wine grapes.

“All of the big brand tequilas? None of them let the agave grow to full maturity anymore,” says Eggerman. Instead, driven by profit pressures and celebrity endorsements, producers are harvesting after just four to five years, then adding cane sugar to compensate for the underdeveloped agave flavours. Celebrity tequila exemplifies this: while George Clooney’s smooth Casamigos paved the way for over 50 celebrity brands, quality varies wildly—Kendall Jenner’s 818 burns all the way down.

Harvesting methods have changed too. “The fields are all harvested at the same time,” explains Karen’s partner Dominic Hauck. “This makes a big difference in the quality and flavour and lessens the artisanal and cultural aspects.”

North Americans developed a taste for premium tequila during lockdown, (US agave-based spirits sales increased 30.1 per cent year-on-year to $5.2 billion in 2021, with tequila becoming the second-fastest-growing spirits category, according to Fortune Business Insights.) This market pressure created a troubling cycle: producers rushed to harvest underdeveloped agave to meet demand, while consumers paid premium prices for inferior products.

Agave pit roasting

Traditional methods use brick ovens or underground pit ovens to cook agave hearts for two to three days, then ferment and distill in copper or clay pots. Industrial shortcuts include autoclaves (pressure cookers) and column still distillation rushes the process. Efficiency is prioritized over quality traditional practices.

“It’s less of a tequila,” says Eggerman. “They aren’t following the traditional processes.”

The cultural implications run deeper. “It’s sad to see the industry explode like that; it takes away the cultural and artisanal aspects of the spirit,” adds Hauck.

Culture matters deeply to both importers and bar operators. “If we’re going to share tequila, we’re going to share the culture,” emphasizes Eggerman. This means understanding that agave spirits aren’t just alcohol but integral to Mexican life. As one farmer explained to her, ‘These hard days of sweating all day is all worth it if you can watch the sun go down with mezcal in your hand.’

A growing number of importers, bartenders and cocktail professionals are doubling down on authenticity. In Edmonton, cocktail professionals are responding with education.

“I was a whiskey girl, and for me it was a no at first,” laughs local cocktail queen Niki Willis, describing her initial resistance to agave spirits. After 20-plus years in Edmonton’s hospitality scene, Willis is readying Coco’s Cocktails and Agave to open this summer. She’s partnering with business expert Janelle Jimenez and agave expert Megs Miller. The partnership brings impressive credentials. Miller, originally from Edmonton, runs Salon de Agave in Mexico City, traveling state to state to find authentic family distilleries. Jimenez brings business expertise, including an MBA and background in corporate innovation.

“If you respect the agave, the agave respects you,” Willis quotes Mexican philosophy. At Coco’s, located in the Sylbert Building basement, the focus is blancos and platas.

“That’s where you’re going to get the purest agave flavour,” Willis explains. “People know they like it, but they don’t know why they like it. So why don’t we teach you why you like it?” This mission drives Coco’s vision for guided tastings and carefully chosen spirits.

Edmonton cocktail enthusiasts don’t need to wait for Coco’s opening to start their agave education. Willis’ simple recommendation? Cascahuin tequila with soda. “You can really taste the tequila,” she says. For those on a budget, Altos tequila at around $40 offers excellent quality.

While the agave industry faces sustainability challenges, Edmonton’s response suggests a path forward: education over exploitation, culture over commerce and quality over quick profits.

What does this mean for lovers of artisan spirits? Explore beyond tequila—each agave spirit offers unique regional character. Look for the origin information on the label. For example, artisan mezcal will state the name of the maker and the number of bottles produced. Try different regions within the same spirit category. And support authentic producers who maintain traditional methods.

Lauren Kalinowski is a food and culture writer based in Edmonton. When she drinks tequila she likes to sip a blanco, preferably on a patio during sunset.