Introducing Sauza® Blue, Made From 100% Blue Agave

Introducing Sauza® Blue, a smooth, crisp tequila made from 100% fresh blue agave.

Sauza® Blue is made using the proprietary fresh-pressed agave process and is available in both Silver and Reposado, retaining the same balanced, clean, fresh agave flavors that Sauza® Gold and Silver are known for, now comprised of 100% agave.

Whether you’re planning to fire up the grill or simply throw a casual get-together at-home, serving margaritas made with Sauza® Blue is an easy way to cool down as the weather heats up. The smooth, fresh flavor complements seasonal fruits such as lemons, strawberries and grapefruits, and is a perfect option for pitcher margaritas.

Complete Press Release follows:

SAUZA® TEQUILA INTRODUCES SAUZA® BLUE, 100% PURE AGAVE TEQUILA
New Launch Completes Brand Portfolio with 100% Fresh, Blue Agave Tequila

Deerfield, IL (April, 2011) – Sauza® Tequila, a member of the Beam Global Spirits & Wine family, announced the addition of Sauza® Blue to its portfolio, marking the Sauza brand’s first entry into 100% agave tequila.

Available in both Silver and Reposado, Sauza Blue Tequila features the same crisp, fresh agave flavors that consumers have come to expect from Sauza Tequila, now made from 100% blue agave. Both marques offer their own unique flavor profiles, with Sauza Blue Silver containing a sweet agave and peppery flavor combined with hints of honeysuckle, and Sauza Blue Reposado blending the taste of cooked agave with well-defined wood notes.

“Sauza prides itself on delivering the freshest tasting tequila in the industry, and introducing a tequila made from 100% fresh blue agave is a natural next step,” says Amy Weisenbach, Senior Director, Tequila, Beam Global Spirits & Wine. “Tequila is the second-largest category at Beam Global, and we recognize its huge potential for growth. Adding a pure 100% agave rounds out our portfolio and ensures that we have a tequila for every consumer and every occasion.”

Sauza Blue is crafted at the renowned Sauza Distillery in Jalisco, Mexico. The agave plants are put into tequila production within 48 hours of being hand-picked, then milled and steeped prior to cooking in a process called “Fresh Pressed Agave,” resulting in the freshest, natural, crisp agave flavor.

When entertaining at home this spring, serving margaritas made with Sauza Blue is an easy way to cool down as the weather heats up. The smooth, fresh flavor complements seasonal fruits such as lemons, strawberries and grapefruits, and is a great option for pitcher margaritas—perfect for a casual get-together at home, a warm-weather barbeque, or to make any night in a special occasion.

Sauza Blue Tequila is available in the U.S. this month with a suggested retail price of $18.99 for both Sauza Blue Silver and Sauza Blue Reposado.

Celebrate the spring season with this refreshingly smooth and simple margarita recipe from Sauza Blue Tequila:

Cadillac Rio Margarita
Ingredients:
2 parts Sauza® Blue Silver Tequila
1 part JDK & Sons™ O3 Premium Orange Liqueur
1 part lime juice
0.5 part agave nectar

Directions:
Shake all the ingredients with ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with an orange on the rim.

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About Beam Global Spirits & Wine, Inc.:
Beam Global Spirits & Wine, Inc. (“Beam Global”) is one of the world’s largest premium spirits companies, encompassing a portfolio of nearly 100 brands (including 10 of the world’s top-100 premium spirits brands), more than a dozen global operating and commercial facilities and 3,200 employees worldwide. Consumers from all corners of the globe call for our brands, including Jim Beam® Bourbon, Sauza® Tequila, Canadian Club® Whisky, Courvoisier® Cognac, Teacher’s® Scotch Whisky, Maker’s Mark® Bourbon, Laphroaig® Scotch Whisky, Cruzan® Rum, Hornitos ™ Tequila, EFFEN® Vodka, Larios® Gin, Whisky DYC®, DeKuyper® Cordials, Knob Creek® Bourbon and Skinnygirl® Cocktails. Growth through innovation is a key strategy at Beam Global, with Red Stag by Jim Beam® Bourbon, Cruzan® 9 Rum, Maker’s 46™ Bourbon and Courvoisier® 12 Cognac and Courvoisier® 21 Cognac all being launched as new products over the past two years. Beam Global is part of Fortune Brands, Inc. (NYSE:FO), a leading consumer brands company. For more information on Beam Global, its brands, and its commitment to social responsibility, visit www.beamglobal.com <http://www.beamglobal.com> and www.drinksmart.com <http://www.drinksmart.com> .