NY company launching kosher tequila

[koshergourmetmart]

New York businessman is launching a kosher tequila in time for Cinco de Mayo.

Martin Silver says Agave 99 will be on the market in time for the holiday that celebrates Mexico's defeat of French forces on May 5, 1862.

Mr. Silver, president of Long Island-based Star Industries, says he wants to satisfy the craze for high-end tequila with one that observant Jews can drink — "to help the Mexican economy and the Jews."

Mr. Silver says a half million cases of the 99-proof kosher tequila are being produced at a Mexican plant using methods certified by a rabbi. It will retail for $41.95 a bottle.

The product launch — with Mexican songs sung in Yiddish and Spanish — is set for May 5, but it will also be sold earlier, for Passover.

is is kosher under OU

http://star-indust.com/index1.html

[ferret]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I've always understood that the "silver" tequilas are all acceptable for Kashrus purposes. (I understand that the darker aged/colored may be questionable, but there are already brands out there with OU supervision). Not sure why this is news.

[midasgold]

Competition is great; however, the article (press release ?) makes it sound as though this will be the first kosher-certified tequila sold in the U.S.A. There's been a brand with several varieties - including some expensive high-end - of (O-U or O-K) kosher-certified tequila for several years; in fact, it was certified for Passover and we used it the last year of two. Unfortunately, I forgot the brand... we still have some that we saved from last Passover, but it's still in some unreachable location that we haven't gotten to yet.

The Star-K web site (referenced below) states that the following brands of tequila are kosher-certified: Casa Vieja, Don Bernardo G, Sol Dios . While competition is great for a variety of reasons, I don't believe that spokespeople for this new brand should say things like, "one that observant Jews can drink," as if there are no other options already available. To me, the article hinted that this will be the first kosher-certified tequila produced for the United States.

Also, the Star-K (no relation to Star Industries, I would think) advises that certain types of tequila don't require a hechsure and are "approved."

From the Star-K web site at http://www.star-k.org/cons-appr-liquo... :

ACCEPTABLE LIQUORS
Bourbon Straight and Blended
Brandy
Bouka Fig , Carmel*, Herzog French*, Tishbi*, Spirit of Solomon
Canadian Whisky
Crown Royal
Cognac Louis Royer*, Dupuy-Vsop*, Herzog*
Gin
All except Sloe Gin (Sloe Gin requires certification). Certified: Gordon’s Reg & Flavored, London Dry*

Irish Whisky
Midleton, Powers, Paddy, Jameson, Tullamore Dew
Kentucky Whisky Straight and Blended
Rum

Bacardi (Eight, Gold, Superior), Don Q Reg & Flavored*
Rye
Straight and Blended
Sake All unflavored imported to U.S.
Scotch Single Malt & Blended (except when label states “aged in sherry casks,” “sherry finish,” “port finish,” or “dual cask finish”)
Tennessee Whiskey

Straight and Blended

Tequila
Silver - All
Gold, Reposado, and Añejo - require certification.

Certified: Casa Vieja*, Don Bernardo G*, Sol Dios*

Approved:
100 Años (blanco, verde, azul) Jimador
Casa Real José Cuervo
Camino Real Kaban (inc. the flavored tequilas)
Cazadores La Perseverancia (reposado 100% de agave)
Centinela Mega 2000
Don Julio Milagro Blanco
Galardon (reposado 100% de agave) Salusa
Galindo Sauza (Hornitos, Conmemorativo, Hacienda black, Extra Gold)
Herradura Tres Generaciones (añejo, reposado, plata)
Hilu Triada (añejo 100% de agave

[DeisCane]

Agree with the two previous posters. I also noted that for a company with a lot of brands, it seems it has only one I've ever heard of--Mozart Chocolate Liqueur.

[ferret]

And as for declaring itself to be high-end, that's for the taster to decide. I've tried many tequilas in Mexico that claim to be exclusive or "high-end" and a great many taste like kerosene.