The spritz is so last year. Tequila is the drink of the summer – and Don Julio 1942 is the liquid on everyone’s lips. Served by itself as the star ingredient, it’s made to be sipped and savoured, while its sleek bottle is a design statement in any home bar. Here, we get you into the spirit with our roundup of seven things you might not know about the iconic tequila. Better still, try it for yourself at the Don Julio 1942 pop-up at Heathrow T5

It all started with one man
Don Julio González founded his famous distillery in Mexico in 1942. He asked a local businessman for a loan and started making tequila in the Jaliscan Highlands – 6,500ft above sea level and a place of warm days and cool nights – using the rich volcanic soil to cultivate the superior blue agave that plays a starring role in his exceptional spirit.

The founder’s plants were his family
Unlike others at the time, Don Julio didn’t consider his blue agave crops as something to harvest, but rather as something to nurture. Every morning, he’d wake up bright and early to protect his plants by cutting the grass around them before carving flavour from their individual piñas. When the time was right, he’d handpick each plant one by one, a unique approach that current makers still adhere to three generations later.  

It’s a drink designed to be sipped
Introduced by Don Julio in 2002 to mark 60 years of his tequila-making, 1942 is now a stalwart in the most stylish of bars, restaurants and clubs across the world, while it’s known to be enjoyed by many an A-lister, including superstar DJ Diplo. And who could blame them? It’s produced in small batches and aged for a minimum of two-and-a-half years to create a sweet and smooth sip with captivating notes of caramel, vanilla, and hints of chocolate and spicy oak undertones. Its rich taste profile meant drinkers soon took to sipping it when it was first introduced.  

The bottle is covetable
Much like the drink inside, the design of the bottle remains revolutionary, with a slim and tall silhouette inspired by the shape of the blue agave plant, creating stand-out on shelves among other tequilas with predicably short and squat vessels. The glass itself is artisan-blown in Mexico, once again tying the drink back to its cultural roots.

A sweet and smooth sip
Unlike other tequilas at the time – and many to this day – Don Julio 1942 is made to be enjoyed on its own. The signature serve is neat or on the rocks, preferably in a flute (yes, really – like Champagne).

It’s the ultimate summer aperitif… or digestif
From spritzes to coladas and daiquiris, some drinks have become synonymous with summer, and such is the case with Don Julio 1942. Whether in Mykonos, Ibiza or Split – or simply in your garden at home – it perfectly encapsulates the spirit of the season. Enjoy before dinner, after dinner, or whenever.   

There’s a pop-up for stocking up
If you’re jetting off somewhere this summer, why not swing by the Don Julio 1942 pop-up at Heathrow T5 to kick-start a season of celebrations? Running throughout July and August, it’s the perfect chance for discerning drinkers to try and buy ahead of their upcoming travels. DJ Kayper has created the ultimate playlist, which you can access via QR code at the pop-up to enjoy while you wait in the lounge, on your flight or during your holiday. It’s guaranteed to be the soundtrack of your summer, created by one of Europe’s most renowned DJ music producers.

Drink responsibly. For the facts, visit drinkaware.co.uk

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This article has been tagged Advertorial, Food + Drink