FROM PECKHAM
TO JALISCO
(and back again)
HOLA, WE'RE
JACK & TOM
Best mates for 20+ years and co-founders of El Rayo. We used to think Tequila meant lime, salt, and 3am slammers on sticky club floors. That was until one night in Peckham when we ran out of beers and found an old bottle of Anejo Tequila, a gift from Tom’s brother. We cracked it open, and the flavours blew our minds. We never realised Tequila could be this good. Spark lit, we spent months getting acquainted with our new favourite drink, relearning all we thought we knew about Tequila. Somewhere along the way, we quit our jobs to pursue this passion.
DISCOVERING MODERN MÉXICO
Once in Mexico we linked up with a local designer, Mario and he showed us a culture that blew our minds! Forget sombreros and cactuses, this was modern Mexico - rich, vibrant and buzzing with creative energy. We worked alongside Mario and his design team, Toro Pinto, to craft some of this magic into El Rayo. Encapsulating the flavours, designs, and spirit of Guadalajara into everything; from our label, to our newsletters, and building a brand that showcased all the stuff you wouldn’t find on TripAdvisor!
AUTHENTICALLY MEXICAN, FROM DESIGN TO DISTILLATION
Next stop: Mexico’s highlands, where, with the help of one of only 250 Maestro Tequileros in the world, Oscar Garcia, we roamed Jalisco to find the best suppliers and distilleries, using only the finest slow-grown, hand-harvested blue agave plants for El Rayo, which are slow-cooked and twice distilled in copper for the cleanest, freshest flavor, with Oscar personally tasting every batch to ensure top quality.
AND THE REST IS TEQUILA
A couple of years, friendships, Tequilas, a lot of fun (and a few sleepless nights) later – El Rayo launched in 2019. We’ve been serving up T&Ts and creativity ever since.
Head back in time and listen to our Courier podcast to hear the full story