Agave on the Rise

According to Fortune Business Insights,

agave interest in North America is growing, and growing fast. By 2030, the market is expected to exceed $18 billion, and that's in large part to growth across all agave spirits not just tequila. Consumers are expanding their agave palettes and that's inspiring mixologists to take a deeper look at how they use spirits like mezcal, raicilla and sotol.

"I love to work with agave spirits, such as tequila and mezcal, because there's such a range of delicious flavors, from fruit and peppers to spice and smoke," says renowned mixologist Derek Brown, who was part of the team that created the bar menu at the acclaimed Dögon by Kwame Onwuachi. It is Brown's first project with Salamander, and the restaurant is the newest flagship concept at Salamander Washington DC.
Dögon (pronounced "Doh-gon,") is also Brown's first project collaborating with Chef Onwuachi. The pair were connected when Brown was working at (the now-closed) Columbia Room in Washington, DC, and thus began a relationship connecting high-level mixology with the distinctive flavor profiles of West Africa.

"Chef has really high standards," Brown says. "We had to work hard to make sure the cocktails were also excellent (to match the food)."

Agave-focused drinks are on the rise across all of Salamander's properties. Bartenders are expanding the potential of the plant by integrating a wider range of flavors to let the full expression of agave bloom.

One of the signature drinks at Dögon features a non-alcoholic agave spirit paired with lime, passion fruit and Chef Onwuachi's own take on a Piri-Piri spice, creating a drink that's slightly tropical, yet not overpowering.

"We wanted the cocktails to sing with the food," Brown says.

Drink programs throughout the Salamander Collection complement the food, such as the "Smoking Banana" at Packard's at Innisbrook, which is as satisfying as it is inventive. The cocktail incorporates mezcal with banana purée and lime agave juice that builds to a balance of sugar and smoke. The drink is served over ice in a shorter glass to really let the gorgeous amber color of the mix shine.

Agave is also becoming more of a post-dinner option, as bar programs opt to use a medium-aged tequila as the base for a decadent drink. At Camellias at Hotel Bennett, the "Midnight Salsa" combines chili and coffee flavors for the ideal digestif, or even pairing with dessert.

Brown notes that story of traditional agave production is an important one that shouldn't get lost through the growth of the category. He points to the production of raicilla - a centuries-old, funkier spirit -as a prime example of the heritage of the plant.

"Some of the families have been making agave spirits for centuries. The way you drink them is with food and in delicious cocktails," he says. "Everything is about savoring these incredible spirits and not taking them for granted."

Especially as the availability of higher-end whiskies wanes, there's more of an opportunity for the story and products within agave to take center stage. It's inspiring bartenders across the country to look at how tequila, mezcal, raicilla and the non-alcoholic alternatives can become a new focal point of well-regarded bar programs.

"There are hundreds of varieties of the agave plant, too," Brown says, "and no two taste the exact same."