No Smoke, No Mirrors: What Transparency Really Means in Tequila
Disclaimer: This article was originally written and published before recent news surfaced regarding a double class-action lawsuit brought against Diageo, the parent company of several major tequila brands. The lawsuits allege that certain products advertised as “100% agave” contain as little as 25–35% agave content. Far below the legal and ethical standards implied on their labels. We’ve chosen to revisit and expand this article not to sensationalize the headlines or target any competitor, but to reinforce a belief we’ve held since the beginning: when it comes to tequila, transparency isn’t a trend. It’s a responsibility.
Before the lawsuits, before the headlines, we believed this: transparency should be the baseline. Not a branding move. As recent class-action lawsuits raise questions about “100% agave” claims, we’re revisiting a belief we’ve always held—every label should earn its words.
This article breaks down what ingredient integrity really means, why legal definitions like NOMs and CRT matter, and how consumers are leading the shift toward smarter spirits.
We’re not here to throw stones. We’re here to raise the bar.
What’s Really in the Bottle? Why Ingredient Integrity Still Matters
When you reach for a premium bottle of tequila, you’re not just buying flavor. You’re buying into a story. And ideally, that story should be true.
For years, tequila has worked hard to evolve beyond spring break clichés and sugary mixers. It’s found its place in high-end bars, elegant nightcaps, and curated collections. But while the bottle shapes and price points have matured, not every spirit inside has kept up.
That’s where recent consumer lawsuits, like the one challenging the accuracy of agave content in some major-label tequilas, have cracked open an uncomfortable truth. Even with a label that reads “100% agave,” what’s actually inside might be far less clear.
For us, that’s a problem. Not just for producers, but for every person who cares about what they’re drinking and why it matters.
Don’t Let the Fonts Fool You
"100% de agave" is not marketing copy. It’s a legal distinction. It signals that every drop of fermentable sugar in the bottle came from the blue weber agave plant and nothing else.
When that claim isn’t honored, it undermines far more than just flavor. It disrespects the farmers, distillers, and drinkers who hold this spirit to a higher standard.
Mixtos, by contrast, can include up to 49% other sugars, usually from cane or corn. There’s nothing inherently wrong with them when labeled honestly. But when brands blur those lines, whether by omission or misdirection, they erode the trust that should exist between label and liquid.
The lesson here is simple: bold claims require bold accountability. If the tequila isn’t 100% agave, the label should say so. If it is, producers should be proud to prove it.
The New Rules of Luxury: Tell the Truth or Step Aside
For too long, the tequila aisle has relied on mystique. A beautiful bottle, a heritage-sounding name, a nod to some secret recipe. It’s compelling, but it’s also become a shield for shortcuts.
The next generation of drinkers isn’t buying it, literally or figuratively. They’re searching for NOM numbers, decoding additive disclosures, and caring about how a product is made from start to finish. They're not just asking, “Does this taste good?” They're asking, “Was this made with integrity?” That’s not scrutiny. That’s evolution.
The recent lawsuits are a turning point. Not because they shocked the industry, but because they confirmed what many already suspected: some brands are more invested in perception than in principle. If the luxury tequila space wants to survive and grow, it has to lead with both quality and clarity.
Marketing Can’t Be the Only Craft
At Dos Caras, we believe storytelling and craftsmanship should work together, not in opposition. We love a good label. We love a good name. We also love when those things are backed by a process that respects the spirit itself.
Dos Caras tequila is made from 100% blue weber agave, slow-cooked in traditional autoclaves, distilled at a single distillery, and produced without additives. We don’t do this to stand apart, we do it because anything less would feel like cutting corners in the name of convenience.
We don’t believe transparency should be a point of pride. It should be the minimum requirement.
What the Bottle Says When You’re No Longer in the Room
We’ve never believed tequila was just about the good time. It marks the moment. It carries the weight of the gesture, and sometimes, it says what we can’t.
So if you're thinking about what to bring, what to leave behind, or what to stand behind, consider what your bottle speaks to long after it’s been opened.
For us, it speaks to care. Care for where it came from. How it was made. What’s in it? And why that matters.
This isn’t about claiming superiority. It’s about honoring the relationship between maker and drinker, between legacy and label. This spirit carries our culture, our craft, and our name. So whether you choose Dos Caras or not, we ask only this: read closely, ask better questions, and expect better answers.
A beautiful bottle might turn heads. An honest one earns trust.
And trust, in this industry and in life, is always the long game.
¡Salud!
