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 all changed one night in Peckham. 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 knew Tequila could be this good. Spark lit, we spent months exploring our new favourite drink and relearning everything we thought we knew about Tequila. Somewhere along the way, we quit our jobs and headed out to Guadalajara, Mexico.
DISCOVERING MODERN MEXICO
Once in Mexico we met a local designer, Mario, who showed us a side to Mexico we hadn't seen on Tripadvisor. Forget the stereotypes, this was modern Mexico: dynamic, 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. Capturing the flavours, designs and spirit of this amazing place to share back home in London.
AUTHENTICALLY MEXICAN, FROM DESIGN TO DISTILLATION
Next stop: Mexico's highlands, in search of the amazing blue agave. With the help of Maestro Tequilero Oscar Garcia, we roamed Jalisco meeting the best suppliers and distilleries. We use only the best slow-grown, hand-harvested plants in El Rayo–cooked over three days, then twice distilled in copper for the cleanest, freshest flavour. Oscar personally tastes every batch we make to ensure the best quality in every bottle.
AND THE REST IS TEQUILA
A couple of years, friendships, Tequilas and a lot of fun 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.
LISTEN HERE TO THE PODCAST HERE