Posted on 01/31/2012 11:18:17 AM PST by SwinneySwitch
Taking shots of tequila has taken on new meaning.
Elaborate glass tequila bottles in red, blue and white — shaped like pistols, AK-47s, rifles, machetes and bullets — have been surfacing in the Rio Grande Valley in the past year or so.
The bottles — in sharp contrast to the clean lines and curves and the rich colors of more traditional tequila bottles — have been around for years in Mexico, where they are made.
David Hernandez, founder of the Holiday Wine & Liquor stores in the Rio Grande Valley, said the weapon-shaped bottles appeal primarily to collectors.
"There are a lot of gun aficionados here, and the bottles are basically a collector’s item," Hernandez said. His stores carry some of the "weapon" bottles from Destiladora Los Magos of Jalisco.
The ones at Hernandez’s store in Harlingen sell for $48.99 to $59.99.
"People always look for novelty items. These have been around for a very, very long time in Mexico and why the distributors didn’t show them to us earlier, I don’t know," Hernandez said.
"We also have brandy bottles that resemble the Eiffel Tower in France and they sell also. We have some wine that sells in a cat bottle. It’s just an opportunity to appeal to the collector," he said.
Hernandez said the weapon-shaped bottles don’t bring that much business. "It wouldn’t even make the top 200 of the items that are popular here. We sell very few of them," he said.
Feldman’s Wine & Liquor in Harlingen carries the Hijos de Villa "rifle" that sells for approximately $120. Representatives declined to comment for this article or to allow photographs.
Feldman’s also carries the Kah tequila skulls that sell for $49.97 and $52.79. According to Kah’s marketing information, the skulls — "calaveras" in Spanish — were inspired by the traditional skulls made from sugar that are used in rituals for the Day of the Dead.
Guadalupe Correa-Cabrera, assistant professor of government at the University of Texas at Brownsville and Texas Southmost College, sees the weapon-shaped bottles as a new marketing tool.
"It’s about alcohol. It’s about business. It’s about consumption. It’s about marketing, supply and demand," she said. "When you think of tequila you think of Mexico, and right now you associate the image of Mexico to violence. It’s a marketing tool, I think, more than anything else. It has brought a specific shape as to what is happening in Mexico."
Gerardo Acevedo Danache, vice president of international affairs for the Matamoros Chamber of Commerce, thinks that the bottles shaped like weapons affect Mexico’s image.
"Tequila is a product that represents Mexico, and I think that the value of a Mexican tradition and product is being diminished and dishonored. We believe that there are other ways to market a product," Acevedo Danache said.
"It sends a mistaken image of Mexico. We don’t think it’s the proper way to promote Mexico. The marketing of Mexican symbols has deteriorated to the extent that even the Virgin of Guadalupe is manufactured in China," he said, referring to Mexico’s patron saint.
For Licores Veracruz, which introduced the Hijos de Villa rifle, pistols and bullet to commemorate its 55th anniversary, the bottles "reflect the brave Mexican pride," according to marketing done for the store.
The tequila is a product of Tequila Quiote in the state of Jalisco and is bottled by Licores Veracruz in the state of Veracruz. A family member of Licores Veracruz imports the bottles to the United States through Mexcor Inc. based in Houston. Representatives of Mexcor Inc. did not respond to a request for comment.
Grupo Industrial Muyaad’s Tequila Institucional AK-T, Tommy Guns Tequila, machete, carbine and other products are produced and bottled by Destiladora Los Magos in the state of Jalisco. They are imported by Purveyors of Houston. A representative of Purveyors could not be reached for comment. Muyaad has registered numerous designs and brand names with the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
Other spirits besides tequila are contained in bottles resembling weapons. There is the Russian "Sniper" vodka, in a glass bottle shaped like a machine gun that has been available for a number of years. The bottle is said to originate in Russia, too.
Some of the weapon-shaped bottles are ending up on auction websites. These are being promoted as collectibles "and any contents is (sic) incidental and not meant for consumption."
"Not sold in stores" also is noted by the auction websites, where some of the bottles have sold for at least twice their original price.
i want one!
The ATF will be all over this. It has TWO of the three letters. Throw a free pack of smokes in with every purchase and they’ll go wild!
LMAO!!! No more votes, people, we have a winner.
/thread
These have been sold in Mexican tourist shops for decades. Guaranteed to be the crappiest tequila you can buy.
I’m not sure why this is news. I’ve seen these bottles in North and East Texas liquor stores for years and years. This is absolutely nothing new.
Same goes for Army/Air Force Exchange Service (PX) liquor aisles for several years. PX headquarters are in Dallas, TX.
I also saw these in a Tucson, AZ Sam’s Club last year.
Nothing new here, just another way for a presstitute to stir the pot...
Are any of these fancy bottles sold with a “Holder?” Seems like a fair trade - - - .
They were at our local Costco not long ago.
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