Page 38 - Sharp Spring 2021

VILLA ONE TEQUILA × SHARP
Tequila As it Should Be
Villa One started, as the best stories do, with good friends getting together, sharing great food and drink and, of course, a whole lot of laughs
ETCHED ON THE FRONT OF EVERY BOTTLE of Villa One Tequila is the philosophy that, from moment one, guided the creation of
this spirit: “Life as it should be.”
And, inside that bottle, it’s tequila as it should
be — a bright, delicately sweet, and perfectly smooth liquid that’s ideal for sharing with friends.
“I think tequila is naturally something that brings people together,” singer, songwriter, and actor Nick Jonas recently told us when we asked him about Villa One, which he and designer John Varvatos created together and is finally making its way to Canada.
“It really is a celebratory drink,” Jonas continued. “We drink it like Champagne and it seems to be a constant when we are celebrating with friends. When you’re making art, or music, or even tequila, when you’re bringing people together, that’s a real win.”
The Backstory: Villa One Tequila
It all started, as so many of the best stories do, with good friends getting together for a quality hang, sharing great food and drink and, of course, a whole lot of laughter.
Little did John Varvatos and Nick Jonas know that their fateful trip to an ocean view villa in Baja would wind up leading to a partnership with tequila maestro Arturo Fuentes in the creation of one of the world’s finest agave spirits, Villa One. Inspired by the natural beauty of Mexico, as well as the re-
TEQUILA 101
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ONE THING YOU WANT TO SEE WHEN YOU’RE
selecting a bottle of tequila is the phrase, “100% Agave Azul,” which means it’s distilled entirely from Blue Weber Agave — the only species that can be used to make a high-quality authentic tequila. Villa One Tequila is made from Blue Weber grown in both the highlands and lowlands of Jalisco, one of the few states in Mexico allowed to produce this heritage product.
“Since the blend combines some of those earthier notes from the lowlands with the sweeter notes from the highlands, the blend really gives it a unique flavour profile,” explains Jonas.
There are three main expressions of tequila: Blanco or Silver, Reposado, and Añejo.
A lot of tequila lovers enjoy “Silver” expressions, because they consider it the purest expression of the agave. “I like to drink Villa One Silver on the rocks with a little club soda and an orange wedge,” says Jonas. “Sometimes even just neat with an orange wedge.”
“Reposado” means the tequila has been “rested” in oak for a few months. In that brief ageing process, the spirit picks up a hint of straw colour and a little vanilla and choc- olate, which Varvatos says makes it unbelievably smooth.
Aged in oak for a full year, Añejo tequila is gold in colour and has a rich, flavour profile that makes it ideal for pairing with chocolate and other desserts.
Photos courtesty of Villa One