Juan Lobo Tequila: The Call of the Wild

Words by Jessi Devenyns Photos By Shelby Bella

Juan Lobo Tequila bridges tradition & modern flavors.

Tequila lovers know the joy of a silky agave tequila bursting with aroma and flavor hitting their tongue. However, crafting a tequila that can delight the senses of those with refined tastes is often generations in the
making.

Local country singer and musician Jon Wolfe, also known as Juan Lobo, recognized the need for expertise in the American tequila market and set out to find it, beginning in the traditional tequila-growing region of Jalisco where blue agave spears run across the landscape. In the highlands of this region, red clay contrasts the misty blue of the native agave. It was in these highlands at the Vivanco family ranch that Jon found the nectar of the gods.

“Highlands agaves are born in a different climate and soil content which make the agaves sweeter, floral, and a bit more fruit-forward,” Jon explains.

Jon was entranced by the idea of a tequila so pure that he built on the Vivanco family’s traditional recipes to craft a range of spirits that ignited the senses through subtlety and versatility. “[We] want people to really taste the agave and know that they’re drinking tequila. At the same time, we want the flavor to be balanced and smooth,” Jon insists. While he says he can’t pick a favorite from the traditional varieties, he explains that the añejo was crafted with bourbon lovers in mind and is aged in American Oak for 22 months before being poured into a bottle.

To achieve this range of flavor from crystalline, citrus-forward blanco to the amber tones of vanilla and plum of an añejo, Jon describes how each agave spear goes through a careful process whereby they are individually selected by jimadores before roasting in a brick oven for 48 hours to soften the nectar that is then separated and fermented in a vat fortified with champagne yeast. The tequila takes on the elements of the Jalisco region that infuse it with flavor notes.

Although this process is commonplace in tequila production, Jon hints that the secret ingredient that gives Juan Lobo Tequila its fresh notes is the classical baroque music that is played during the fermentation process.

“The Vivanco family treats the fermentation process with a great deal of respect, and they believe that classical music influences the molecular structure of the tequila as it’s fermenting,” Jon shares. With a wry tone to his voice, he offers his own, less scientific analysis, “It responds to the airwaves, and I can attest that it does actually impact the end taste.”

Regardless of which tequila Jon reaches for, he finds that each distinctive flavor profile embodies one common truth. A bottle of Juan Lobo Tequila is much like his own music: it’s where revolution meets tradition

Mix It Up
The trills and crescendos of flavor in a bottle of Juan Lobo Tequila are best enjoyed on the rocks or in a novel beverage such as a capilla. Featuring tequila blanco, the beverage adds a splash of Topo Chico, a squeeze of lemon and a dash of rosemary simple syrup for a fresh, yet warming, beverage that speaks to the weather transition of Austin in the fall.

Did You Know?
Jon Wolfe has seven No. 1 singles and is currently working on a new album which he plans to release in 2021.

Contact:
juanlobotequila.com
info@juanlobotequila.com