#49 The Tequila Ambassador

Photo by Jay B. Saucedo.

The man: Tom Nall, CEO and cofounder of Austin’s own Republic Tequila.

The mission: Infuse one of your favorite spirits with the grit, pride, and character of the Lone Star state.

The commitment: “I once brought one of our Texas-shaped bottles into a bar in Oklahoma. The owner told me I was the bravest person he ever met.”

Top 3 ways he’ll change your life:

• The first 100 percent organic tequila pairs well with 100 percent local pride.
• Bring a bottle anywhere; become an instant goodwill ambassador to Austin.
• A shot of Republic Tequila and a cold beer: Nall calls that a happy meal.

In sum: As they say at Republic Tequila: Life is hard enough. Drinking shouldn’t be.

Behind the scenes

It is 11:08 a.m. and I am walking down West 9^th with a Texas-shaped bottle of tequila tucked under my arm.

Tom Nall – whose boots, hat, and manicured mustache are about as iconic Texas as the bottle – waves goodbye from the front stoop of the Republic Tequila home office.

“Do your very best today,” he reminds me. That’s a long-time mantra of Nall’s, from his 36 years developing the Wick Fowler’s 2-Alarm Chili brand right up to his present-day endeavor as CEO and cofounder of Austin’s very own tequila.

In fact, it’s how he’s taken a lifetime of “drinking lots of tequila in saloons across Texas” and turned it into a matter of state pride.

From agave to Austin

A Republic Tequila slogan is “Born in Mexico. Raised in Texas,” and that’s about as concise and accurate a mission statement as ever was. By law, tequila can only be called tequila if it’s made in Mexico. So Republic Tequila is hand-crafted in Arenal, Jalisco – the heart of the tequila producing region. The business operation is rooted in Austin. And the pride is pure Texas.

In 30 words or less, here’s a crash course in tequila production: The blue agave plant is hand-harvested, cooked, and mashed to pulp; its juice is extracted, fermented, distilled, and aged into what we enjoy in copious amounts all over Austin. (As a former cocktail waitress at Shady Grove, I can attest to the astonishing number of Texas martinis ordered before noon any day of the week.)

In 11 words or less, here’s what sets Republic Tequila apart: 100 percent organic; 100 percent blue agave; the most discriminating quality. (And of course, if you reside in the state of Texas, the most compelling reason of all: bragging rights.)

“We’re in a real competitive industry,” Nall says. “Our strategy is to do things better than everyone else.” They’ve got the awards to prove it. Republic Tequila won gold, silver, and bronze at the 2010 World Spirits Competition for its plata, reposado, and añejo, respectively.

They have a secret weapon. Nall’s partner and Republic Tequila cofounder, Ken MacKenzie, devoted years to studying the fine art of tequila production in Mexico. When MacKenzie decided to put that encyclopedic knowledge to use, he coaxed Nall out of retirement (to be fair, retirement had only lasted two days and wasn’t sitting right); launched an exhaustive search for the best agave growers and the finest tequila distillery south of the border; and gave Austin something else to brag about.

Rounding out the list of founders are Tim Sabo – the brains behind the Texas-shaped bottle – and Steve Dean. So next time you’re in a drinking mood, raise a glass to your city’s four tequila trailblazers.

As if you need an excuse.

You want a piece of this?

Nall is a cowboy and a born-and-bred Texan, and it shows. He has a ranch. He’s done cattle drives. When he talks business, he makes analogies about fence-building. Of his staff, he says things like, “Everybody’s a gunslinger.” And he won’t go anywhere without his hat.

“When someone asks me where I’m from, I just look at them, long and silent, until they figure it out,” he says. “I’m from Texas. I want that to resonate.”

“Even people from other states who say they don’t like Texas – I think they secretly want a piece of it,” Nall muses. “They wish they had that pride, that grit.”

Maybe they can’t get a piece of Texas, exactly – but with Republic Tequila, at least they can have a drink of it.

When they do, they’ll also be getting a taste of Austin’s unique culture.

“At Republic Tequila, we’re goodwill ambassadors to Austin,” Nall says. “Everywhere we go, we brag about the fact that we’re an Austin-based company.”

Nall reaches across his desk and picks up a bottle of añejo.

“This bottle is your roadmap,” he says. “See that?” He points to the star on the Republic Tequila label, near the middle of the Texas-shaped bottle. Inside, amber liquid sloshes up the state borders. “That’s where Austin is.”

He pauses long enough to make sure I’m following, then delivers the punch line: “When you get down to Austin, you know you need a new bottle.”

Visit republictequila.com to read more about the Republic Tequila story, and look for the brand’s recently-released Spirit Blends mixers to round off your tequila-drinking experience.

Many thanks to Tom Nall, Ken MacKenzie, and crew for welcoming me to their home (office) — which, not surprisingly, has a cantina instead of a kitchen.