• by Teresa Buyikian , 5 hours ago

Ultra-premium 1800 Tequila has joined forces with a renowned bar in its latest global ad campaign.

For the “Obsessed with Taste” campaign, the brand collaborated with Mexico City’s Handshake Speakeasy, recently named the Best Bar in North America (for the second time) according to Perrier’s annual list. The new effort, created by 72andSunny, highlights both the bar and brand’s mutual dedication to craftsmanship.

In the hero spot, seen here, Handshake Speakeasy’s head bartender Javier Rodríguez is seen behind the busy bar, creating an elaborate cocktail with 1800 Tequila. “How obsessed with taste are you?” a super asks. “How about thoroughly obsessed,” answers Rodríguez’s voiceover as he crafts the drink with distinctive ingredients like tiny flowers and hand-chipped ice.

The new spot, part of a video content series aiming to give viewer a “behind-the-scenes look at the artistry and precision of the most taste-obsessed bartenders and creators,” runs online across streaming and social media platforms, including the brand’s Instagram account, @1800tequila.

The brand has also launched The Taste Collective, a bartender education platform that will hit four U.S. cities this year: Chicago, New York, Los Angeles and Miami. In-person taste analysis sessions for bartenders and drinks professionals will take place in each city.

The Taste Collective was developed in conjunction with flavor scientist Dr. Arielle Johnson, bartender Ignacio "Nacho" Jimenez and chef Ana Castro. An online platform launching next month will feature “expert-led masterclasses and city-specific guides, connecting the program to a broader cocktail community.”

“Taste is everything to us. We'll continue obsessing over the smallest details in every tequila we craft, and now, through the Taste Collective, we're inviting people to experience that passion firsthand," said Lander Otegui, executive vice president of marketing at parent company Proximo Spirits, in the announcement.