Re: George Clooney and Rande Gerber's Casamigos tequila GENERAL THREAD

by Katiedot Sat 19 Jan 2013, 04:00

Nice find, Silly Girl. I'd really love it if you could share the text as well as the link:

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George Clooney's Tequila Label Comes from Love of Drinking
By Rebekah Sager

Published January 16, 2013

Fox News Latino

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What do two famous cool dudes and best friends for over 20 years do when they’ve got money to burn, own vacation houses adjacent to each other in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, and love to drink tequila? Develop and label their own tequila, of course.

This month, Hollywood hunk George Clooney and restaurant mogul Rande Gerber will combine their friendship with their rumored favorite activity (drinking) and launch a private tequila label called Casamigos—loosely translated as “House of Friends.”

After five years in the making and reportedly more tastings than what is the norm, or so says their distiller, Clooney and Gerber have recently gone on a U.S. tour to show off their newest product.

Initially they are introducing the tequila in large markets like Los Angeles, New York, Miami, Dallas and Las Vegas, and later this year it is slated to expand into 33 states.

“There’s buzz like crazy and I expect this to be a very successful endeavor for them. They’re involved with a very well-respected distiller in Jalisco,” says Agave NYC Beverage Director Jay Silverman, a tequila aficionado.

Casamigos evolved from a friendship and was inspired by Baja and a love of good tequila. After hosting parties for friends and family, Gerber and Clooney were encouraged to go forward to develop a label.
Last year, Gerber launched Caliche Rum, and with the success of sales, he felt confident about moving forward with the tequila.
“The vision of Casamigos is to create tequila so smooth it needs no salt or lime to cover up the taste. We love tequila, on the rocks, by the shot, and at times straight from the bottle,” Gerber and Clooney said in a press release.

The brand will launch a blanco and a reposado, two types of tequilas. Casamigos Reposado is smooth and clean with hints of caramel, while Casamigos Blanco is crisp and clear with subtle hints of vanilla and a smooth finish.

“We talked about how this was going to be like the bottles you see in old John Wayne movies,” Clooney said in the release. “Where you slide the bottle down the bar, pull the cork out with your teeth and pour yourself a shot.”
The tequila is produced by the Productos Finos distillery — the same super-large distillery that handles Avion tequila, known for its launch of the television show Entourage.

Productos Finos also produces Clase Azul, considered one of the best tequilas on the market. But that does not guarantee success: every tequila label is different based on the owner and the agave plants they use.

“If Casamigos is good, it’ll be successful, but all of us in the small and purist world of tequila will wait to judge until we taste it,” said Mike Morales, a tequila journalist.

Casamigos will be distributed by Southern Wine and Spirits, and retails for $43 to $47 per bottle.

While Gerber and Clooney may be serious about the taste and quality of the Casamigos, they certainly have taken a less serious direction for the marketing. They released a racy YouTube video running as promotion for the label. Titled “It Could Happen, Please Drink Responsibly,” it’s a short film written and produced by Clooney and directed by Oscar nominee Grant Heslov, starring Clooney, his girlfriend Stacy Keibler, as well as Gerber and his wife, former supermodel Cindy Crawford.

“[It is] loosely based on a true story,” said the company’s press release. “And chronicles a group of close friends who get a little too intimate and seem to have made a few honest mistakes in identity after enjoying Casamigos Tequila one evening.”

Rebekah Sager is a nationally published lifestyle and culture writer. She's a regular contributor to Fox News Latino. Follow Rebekah on Twitter @Rebekah_Sager.

by silly girl Sat 19 Jan 2013, 05:43

Sorry I meant to do it but got distracted and forgot. Thanks for positing.

I was watching the Oprah interview with Lance Armstrong......

by lucy Sat 19 Jan 2013, 05:50

L.A. = sad/disappointing.

by laetval Wed 23 Jan 2013, 08:40

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A Spirited Partnership

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We love tequila. On the rocks, by the shot, at times straight from the bottle,” says Rande Gerber, who, along with George Clooney, has taken his passion for the spirit to the next level, by creating Casamigos, a private label launching nationwide this winter. After trying tequilas the world over and finding that none conformed to their ideal, the pair hatched an idea to develop a “warm, rich tequila whose taste we didn’t have to cover up with salt or lime,” says Clooney. They teamed with a master distiller in Jalisco, Mexico, and created a sublimely drinkable tequila—distilled from 100 percent Blue Weber agave and a proprietary yeast. It was intended to be enjoyed for personal use—“to be shared with family and friends.” But word got out, and friends of friends started asking for it. After the real-estate mogul Michael Meldman joined as a partner, the trio decided to ratchet up the supply to meet the ever increasing demand. Casamigos roughly translates to “house of friends” and shares its name with the adjacent homes Clooney and Gerber own in Baja. Each batch of tequila, available as either blanco or reposado (oak-aged), will be tasted and approved by the partners. Gerber and Clooney will also number and sign every bottle. Even if you can’t drink with them, you can still raise a glass in appreciation: ¡Salud!

by it's me Wed 23 Jan 2013, 09:31

this part of the house really seems an hotel

am I wrong?

by fluffy Wed 23 Jan 2013, 10:02

When I Googled this today, the house was supposed to be Como? So is this Mexico then? and yes it does look like a hotel!! Can I stay? bounce

by Best in Category Wed 23 Jan 2013, 10:05

Well isn´t his house some sort of a gasthaus? With various visitors from all areas and fields in life one can imagine... Rolling Eyes

by Atalante Wed 23 Jan 2013, 12:27

What's hanging on that wall ?

by it's me Wed 23 Jan 2013, 12:33

Unscripted poster
so his own
we can suppose

Como?
no
I think not at all

Mexico?
those so low ceiling make me think about his LA house

Casa de Clooney

by Cynisca Wed 23 Jan 2013, 23:56

I wonder if Clooney & Gerber were planning to launch an alcoholic beverage together for years. Maybe GC withdrew from Martini advertising as he planned to alienate his name from other brands, in order to endorse his own eventually. Just speculating...

The most recent b&w Martini ads (2007?) were very impressive, as a movie matinee idol.

Maybe his constant PR blitz of trips to Mexico these last few years was also to affirm the notion that he he's almost a local. Bona fide Mexico connoisseur. Very Happy

by Joanna Thu 24 Jan 2013, 00:23

Five years is mentioned in the article above.

by Henway Thu 24 Jan 2013, 04:16

fluffy wrote:When I Googled this today, the house was supposed to be Como? So is this Mexico then? and yes it does look like a hotel!! Can I stay?

L.A. home he bought in 1995 from singer “Stevie Nicks” for a reported $2.2. Very Happy

by Cynisca Thu 24 Jan 2013, 05:45

Joanna wrote:Five years is mentioned in the article above.

Thanks. So, possibly that's why he withdrew from Martini endorsement around that time.

by Katiedot Fri 25 Jan 2013, 12:12

It could happen, eh?

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by silly girl Fri 25 Jan 2013, 12:37

or it DID happen! Very Happy

by lucy Fri 25 Jan 2013, 12:50

Always wondered with certain GF's he spends more time with CC/RG, SL/GC&CC/RG were always out and about LA/NY/LV,don't know if they were together in Como, or if SL ever got a Cabo trip. Now we have GC/SK&CC/RG they spend more time together than GC/EC&CC/RG ever did.After all these years the swapping would get old, wouldn't it?

by theminis Fri 01 Feb 2013, 02:42

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Yippee my first ever picture that I posted.

by melbert Fri 01 Feb 2013, 03:03

Yay TheMinis! And It's Me will like it cuz' it's of George's fingers!

by theminis Fri 01 Feb 2013, 03:07

Too funny - goodness the thoughts going through my mind right now.

by OofOof Fri 01 Feb 2013, 03:09

You are GOOD TheMinis!!!!

by melbert Fri 01 Feb 2013, 03:09

...something like where you could warm his fingers up at?

by theminis Fri 01 Feb 2013, 03:12

Really freaky mind-reading Mel -
Damn - first day on the job and I have to tell myself to get back on topic!!

by melbert Fri 01 Feb 2013, 03:13

I usually have a few other minds down here in the gutter with me!

by OofOof Fri 01 Feb 2013, 03:14

by NotAvailable Fri 01 Feb 2013, 04:33

You can throw me in that gutter too, Mel. Hands.... cyclops

by lucy Fri 01 Feb 2013, 05:53

Me too, love his hands, anytime, anywhere, well if they are on me!

by cupcake Sun 03 Feb 2013, 20:51

by Dior Sun 03 Feb 2013, 21:33

cup cake, just be a little patient, when your number will come up, his hands will be all over you...
in bed

by cupcake Sun 03 Feb 2013, 21:47

I'm certain about it Love7

.............. hahhhahahah

by melbert Wed 20 Feb 2013, 13:06

I just heard something interesting. The goody bag for the NON-winners at the Oscars include a holiday, filler injections, condoms AND tequila. I wonder if it's Casamigos????

by fluffy Wed 20 Feb 2013, 14:11

Melbert, that's sooooo funny if true!! Are they expexcting a "hot" nite to warrant the condoms after having got drunk on the tequila, then in the morning, shock horror of how they look, hello filler injections, and fly away from the hot zone of embarassment on holiday!!!!! FAB!!!!! Of course, none of tha above pertain to our lovely Georgie!! super cool

by aflower1325 Fri 22 Feb 2013, 04:42

Do any of you know if there is a place where we can find out when and if Casamigos is going to come to our areas (in the US?) I am from Kansas and it is not close enough for me to get.

by theminis Fri 22 Feb 2013, 05:25

On Facebook on the Casamigos page, there is a map that they update letting you know which states the tequila will be released in. I will see if I can find it for you.

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Hope this helps, pretty sure they update it each month.

by aflower1325 Fri 22 Feb 2013, 06:11

Good. Getting closer to Kansas! I love tequila and I am really wanting to try it! Thank you!

by theminis Fri 22 Feb 2013, 06:14

Happy to help - Ive had my share of tequila in my life, cant really say I love it, (probably had too much), but I will be getting a bottle of this if its distributed in Australia.

by aflower1325 Fri 22 Feb 2013, 06:20

If I have the right tequila, I just do shots or sip and enjoy. If it is NOT the right tequila, cant go wrong with a proper margarita! And I will cross my fingers for Australia for you! Drink 3

by theminis Fri 22 Feb 2013, 06:52

Thanks, otherwise one of the gals in the US will have to send me a bottle (pretty please)

by party animal - not! Fri 22 Feb 2013, 11:03

Bartender (oops, sorry, mixologist!) here in the UK told me launch here is in June/July. Makes sense

by Lighterside Fri 22 Feb 2013, 14:11

theminis wrote:Thanks, otherwise one of the gals in the US will have to send me a bottle (pretty please)

No worries the minis....we'll make sure you get a bottle! Thumbs up!

by theminis Fri 22 Feb 2013, 14:12

Now that's music to my ears, thanks Lighterside x

by party animal - not! Fri 22 Feb 2013, 14:22

Maybe Cate Blanchett could deliver, Theminis, when she's finished filming...............

by theminis Fri 22 Feb 2013, 14:28

Yeah maybe, I'll send her a text to remind her (HA HA). No I figure I'll let Casamigos know that Aussies live on tequila and nothing short of a visit from George himself will get us to buy it.

by silly girl Thu 07 Mar 2013, 20:11

Cigarworld interview with RG:

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Interview with Rande Gerber
By: Dan Dunn

Let’s face it, when you’re the head of a booming bar and nightclub empire who’s married to supermodel Cindy Crawford, owns luxury homes the world over, and pals around with George Clooney, your life is pretty much a giant jar of awesome sauce. And like the old saying goes, when life gives you awesome sauce, the least you can do is bottle some of it to sell to the rest of us at a reasonable price… which is precisely what Rande Gerber is doing.

For more than 20 years Gerber has been one of the world’s preeminent hospitality entrepreneurs, and now he’s making a bold foray into spirits brand ownership with not one, but two different lines of tasty hooch – a super premium white rum called Caliche, and Casamigos, the tequila he recently launched with his close buddy Clooney. Here are some highlights from Gerber’s recent appearance on my SiriusXM talk show, Happy Hour…

How did you get started in the bar and nightclub business?

Rande Gerber: I was working in commercial real estate, and I represented the then-owner of the Paramount Hotel (in New York City). He was looking for someone to open a restaurant and bar with at the hotel, so I brought in everyone from all the hot places in New York at the time, and he didn’t like any of them. So he eventually said to me, ‘hey, why don’t you do the bar. I like you. I like your vibe, and your friends. Why don’t you create something?’ So the first place I did was the Whiskey at the Paramount in 1989.

And how would you describe the vibe there?

RG: Small, intimate. Beautiful girls. Great music. A true lounge atmosphere. I modeled it after my apartment.

Sounds like you had a pretty kick-ass apartment.

RG: Let’s just say those were really fun times.

So now you’ve got your own tequila and rum brands. What’s the best way to enjoy them, straight or in cocktails?

RG: You don’t want to mix it with too much stuff, because then you get a hangover the next morning. My wife only drinks it on the rocks, with a lime. She went from being strictly a vodka drinker, to now it’s just Caliche on the rocks, or sometimes our tequila on the rocks. And she doesn’t get hangovers.

How did you and Clooney wind up in the tequila business?

It was probably six or seven years ago. George and I have homes in Mexico, and we needed a house tequila. So we decided, let’s see if we can do our own. We met with a distillery and said we want to create a tequila that truly is the best tasting, smoothest tequila out there. We don’t care what it costs, or how long it takes. This is what we need.

Do you smoke cigars, Rande?

RG: I do, yes, on occasion.

I just started writing for Cigarworld.com.

RG: Well, then I guess I’ll have to start smoking more cigars.

Check out “Dan Dunn’s Happy Hour” on SiriusXM’s Indie channel 104 every Thursday from 9-10 pm ET. Follow him on Twitter and Facebook

by Atalante Sat 09 Mar 2013, 23:03

LINK Who is ? Confuzzled

by playfuldeb Sun 10 Mar 2013, 03:58

@theminis - really really good tequila served ice cold has very little bite to the taste.

Like the quote about the photos in the advert

I think my tequila days are done. I parted with Jack (Daniels) many years ago since he always managed to talk me into getting naked and doing things I shouldnt. Tequila made me dance all night

by melbert Mon 11 Mar 2013, 01:16

Cindy's promoting Casamigos!!

Join me & @[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] at [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] for dinner & [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]. [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] Help @[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] support [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
— Cindy Crawford (@CindyCrawford) [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

by silly girl Mon 11 Mar 2013, 02:40

It was also some eyewear event. I don't know who John Varvatos is though. Oh and the Afflecks were there with the Gerbers. Actually there were lots of celebrities there. I've never seen BA or JG go to these sorts of things.

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by theminis Mon 11 Mar 2013, 02:52

playfuldeb wrote:@theminis - really really good tequila served ice cold has very little bite to the taste.

Like the quote about the photos in the advert

I think my tequila days are done. I parted with Jack (Daniels) many years ago since he always managed to talk me into getting naked and doing things I shouldnt. Tequila made me dance all night

Hhmn thanks for the tips Playful - apparently Casamigos is going international in April, so will put your suggestion to many many tests. Im a scotch/whiskey drinker at heart, and I can put many down before I feel the effects, but several tequilas or black sumbuccas mixed with coke and vodka and look out world!!! Basically as I quit drinking the hard stuff after my kidney operation (not related) it only takes 1 drink and Im legless.

by Katiedot Thu 21 Mar 2013, 07:01

I think we've heard most of this before already:

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GSN Q&A With George Clooney and Rande Gerber About Casamigos Tequila

March 19, 2013 by frodelicious

I recently had the opportunity to ask a few questions of George Clooney (pictured at right) and Rande Gerber (pictured in center), two of the men who created their own Tequila brand. They launched their product only a few months ago and it is already available in 12 states around the U.S. I asked them how the whole thing got started:

GSN: Rande, how did you meet George? I’m sure there’s an interesting story there.

RG: George and I met over 20 years ago at a bar I owned in NYC. (Rande is owner of the Gerber Group – ed.)

GSN: What are your hopes for Casamigos in a market that seems to have a new craft spirit every debut every day?

RG: Casamigos was never intended as a product we would release to the public. It was done out of our desire to have the perfect tequila for our taste. It is all we serve at our homes in Mexico so it is our house tequila. We are happy consumers and tequila experts have agreed with our taste.

GSN: George, what is it about tequila that makes it your spirit of choice?

GC: We love the taste of Casamigos and the fact we drink it straight all night long with no hangover the next morning.

GSN: I’d like to know more about the distillery and the choice to cook and ferment the agave pinas beyond the industry standard.

RG: The distillery is the best in Jalisco. We knew if we were going to produce the best, we wanted to team with a distiller that understood there will be no compromise. Whatever it took to accomplish the best tasting smoothest tequila ever, no matter time of cost, we knew what we wanted. The process is quite time-consuming and expensive but we were able to keep the ultimate cost in line with our competitors by putting our money on the tequila inside the bottle and not outside.

GSN: Tell me about the five-year process of deciding on the perfect tequila to call Casamigos.

RG: We spent the first few years perfecting the taste and wanted it to be the smoothest tequila ever with no burn. Although it took years, we were not going to settle for anything but the best. We were in no hurry since it was always intended for personal use to be shared with friends.

GSN: You both own homes in Mexico. How has the culture there influenced your personal lives?

GC: We built our homes as a place to get away and share good times with friends. The same philosophy behind Casamigos Tequila which is named after our homes.

GSN: The promotional video for Casamigos is pretty risqué. Who came up with the idea for the shoot? Who are the other actors?

GC: It’s loosely based on a night out after Rande and I drank a bottle of Casamigos. We then took creative liberties to expand on a fun evening. Its Rande, Cindy (Crawford), Stacy (Keibler) and I. (video here)

GSN: George, any tequila cocktail recipes that you’ve created that I can share with my readers?

GC: I love Casamigos on the rocks. No salt or lime necessary.

by theminis Thu 28 Mar 2013, 02:47

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The Robb Reader: Rande Gerber

APRIL 01, 2013
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When I go out, it’s always a great night,” says Rande Gerber, and who would doubt him? The former model (who is married to supermodel Cindy Crawford) has owned more than 30 nightclubs and restaurants, and this year he launched a new tequila brand with his friend George Clooney. Indeed, the party life is also the business life for Gerber, a father of two who turns 51 this month. Home is the peaceful (if paparazzi-filled) city of Malibu, Calif., and for Gerber, unwinding simply means time with family and friends. He befriended Clooney 20 years ago in New York, and countless tequilas later they decided to start Casamigos (roughly “house of friends” in Spanish), named for their near-adjoining homes in Los Cabos, Mexico. The tequila (see “From the Robb Cellar,” page 56) is floral and delicate—perhaps more Malibu than Mexico—and ideal for sipping on the rocks, which is how the two amigos prefer it.
—Michalene Busico

Tell us about your house in Mexico.

George and I were spending a lot of time in Mexico, and our friend Mike Meldman has a beautiful development in Cabo called El Dorado. So one day we just decided to buy a piece of property and build two houses on it. But it really feels like one house—you’re constantly walking from one to the other, the doors are always open. It’s breakfast at my place, lunch at his place, dinner at mine. Everyone’s always together. We had an incredible architect—Ricardo Legorreta—and we worked very closely with him. I think these are the last two homes he worked on. It’s very contemporary but comfortable, and really different from the way I live in Malibu.

How are the homes different?

Cindy and I worked on our Malibu house together—there was no big architect or designer. We wanted to feel like we’re on vacation at home, and the style is more Hawaiian or Jamaican plantation.

You obviously enjoy the beach lifestyle.

We spend a lot of time on the beach, just barbecuing and having friends over. I also do a lot of stand-up paddling, and a couple days a week we’ll take our bikes and ride along Zuma Beach or play some tennis and basketball. The great thing about living in Malibu is you’re always outside; you don’t want to be inside.

We hear you also ride motorcycles. What are your bikes of choice?

I have everything from a Harley for the street to a Ducati sport bike, a Yamaha dirt bike, a Honda dirt bike, and a couple of quads. I guess I haven’t gotten over my youth. I don’t want to give up the freedom of just getting on the bike and knowing that you’re not going to pick up your phone, there’s no computer, no nothing. You’ve got your friend riding next to you, or your wife or kids on the back, and you’re riding up the coast looking at the ocean. There’s the smell of the sea. The conversations that you have for just a couple of hours. For me, it’s the way life should be. It just slows down.

What was your last great night out?

I’m just back from Las Vegas, kind of a business/pleasure trip for just one night. I also had some friends there doing a fantasy hockey camp with Wayne Gretzky. So we went to see Wayne and Chris Chelios, then we went to dinner at Prime, a steak place, and then to a club, 1Oak. It was nice—not too big, great music. I’m not big on huge clubs, which seem to be taking over now. It was nice to go to a place that’s not overwhelming.

Michalene Busico

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