What happens when a close group of friends, and mezcal lovers, take several trips to Oaxaca to learn about the spirit and are commited to elevate it?

Easy. They create the ultimate mezcal: Púa.
We knew our product had to be high quality, because we expect our mezcal to represent, not only us, but Mexico, the new México, the one we know and love. A multicultural, exciting, and contemporary place.

When we created Púa we had two goals in mind:

To offer the world a premium mezcal that everyone can enjoy.
Púa is a high-end mezcal, with a down-to-earth vibe. It’s outstanding and it fits everyone, whether you’re a mezcal connoisseur, or a first timer. Our goal is to share a taste of Mexico with the world, through a collection of carefully crafted spirits that showcase the rich depth of what the humble agave has to offer. Our starting point are two creations: Joven and Reposado.

To give the world a new way to think about mezcal.
We’re convinced that the world is a better place when mezcal’s around. It makes us kinder, more open-minded, and agreeable, and we want more people to live this feeling.

From zero to hero
There was a time when ordering mezcal would’ve only gotten you a “Huh?” from a bartender. Boy, how times have changed! Mezcal is everywhere, from the swankiest bars to the corner wine store. It’s no longer “the cheap cousin of tequila,” or “Mexican moonshine” with a worm in the bottle. Mezcal is chic and trendy, with new brands jumping on the bandwagon left and right.

We looked at how other mezcal brands are hyping their product and found a lot of them are either talking about its mythical origins, or how it enhances spiritual connections, or its traditional production, or specifying the “proper” ritual to drink it. But mezcal, by itself, already has all that!

Look, we just don’t subscribe to any stereotypes, traditions, or rules about mezcal. We just love it, and believe it should be enjoyed whenever, wherever, and however.

While many of today’s mainstream brands are industrially mass produced, Púa is a high-end artisanal spirit, made in small batches in Oaxaca. Being small, we can pay attention to quality; but that doesn’t stop us from dreaming big and taking our mezcal, and our message, to the world.

Púa is the mezcal for today’s urban dweller. It lives and breathes with the heartbeat of the city. Púa encourages us to have fun, explore the unknown, and enjoy life with absolute freedom. And the best “myths” about mezcal? Well, those are the stories of adventures we share with friends around a bottle of Púa.

Púa is for rule breakers. (Or rule followers if the rules are your own.) It’s for those equally comfortable at a posh dinner or an underground dive. It’s for those of us who live in the moment, are down for anything, or always up to something. It’s for those in the know, and those who may be blissfully ignorant, but ready to rock at the drop of a hat.

Púa is for those who allow themselves to have a good time, who simply let themselves be. It’s a state of mind that in Spanish we call: date chance.

Date chance.
Said in English, “date chance” is the likelihood of someone swiping right for you in a dating app. But in Spanish, “date chance” (DAH-teh CHAWN-ceh) means “give yourself a chance.” Cut yourself some slack. Give yourself a break. Let yourself be. Set yourself free. And Púa … well, we’re all for it.

A brand supported by data.
Púa was born from a group of six visionary friends who love mezcal and believe it makes the world a better place. And even though we’re confident in that vision, we know we don’t have all the answers, so we decided to test our brand to make sure others shared our same dream.

Here’s what we created and tested:

Our bottle.
We ran focus groups in Madrid, Mexico City, Miami, San Diego, Los Angeles and Houston to test and refine the Púa Mezcal bottle. It’s elegant, modern and distinctive.

Our name.
Yes, we love the name Púa. We think it’s sharp. As it turns out, an international network of brand and product naming experts agreed. They appreciated the rebelliously pure attitude, and the evident Mexican connection. Plus, and –great news for our dreams of worldwide reach– Púa is easy to say in most languages.

Our visual identity.
We designed a graphic package that we loved: edgy, trippy, eye-catching. We tested it in focus groups and held our breath. Would other people like it? Yes. Yes, they did.

Oh yes … the drink itself.
Of course, the most important thing we had to test was the mezcal. Pua’s flavor profile is complex, yet it’s also refreshingly gentle. In focus groups it was qualified as refined, flavorful, and elevated – perfect for seasoned mezcaleros as well as for mezcal newbies.

Fact! We found out that in Mezcal tastings for newbies, 2 out of 10 liked mezcal but when drinking Púa mezcal we were able to push that number up to 6 out of 10 mezcal neophytes!

We also just won a Gold Medal for our Joven, and a Silver Medal in the Reposado catergory at the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles in the Mexico Selection. Mezcal Up!