Suerte Blanco Tequila: The Rabbit Tale Behind How Tequila Shots Were Invented

Behind the Pour

The rabbit on Suerte Tequila's label is not decoration — it is a claim about luck, a reference to the Aztec tradition of the 400 rabbits of pulque, and a nod to the origin story of how agave spirits became intertwined with ritual and ritual became intertwined with ceremony. The name 'Suerte' means luck in Spanish. Crystal and Roger taste the Suerte Blanco and explore how the history of tequila as a ritualized spirit shapes what you actually feel when you pour one.

What You'll Discover

• Why rabbits mean luck in tequila's cultural background: The 400 rabbits (Centzon Totochtin) in Aztec mythology were the gods of excess and drunkenness, associated with pulque — the fermented agave drink that preceded distilled tequila. The rabbit symbol carries that lineage.
• Suerte Blanco's highland Jalisco character: The Suerte Blanco is produced in the Los Altos (highland) region of Jalisco. Highland blue agave tends to produce more fruit-forward, aromatic, and floral tequila than valley agave from around Tequila city. Crystal notes the brightness on the nose as characteristic of the highland style.
• How brick-oven cooking shapes the flavor: Suerte's agave piñas are slow-roasted in traditional brick ovens (hornos) rather than industrial autoclaves. The slower, lower-temperature cooking develops more complex sugars and flavor precursors before fermentation begins.
• The origin of the tequila shot ritual: The salt-lime-shot sequence has a backstory that connects to 19th-century Mexico. Crystal and Roger trace how a practical ritual (salt to stimulate appetite, lime to cut the harshness of early mezcal-style spirits) became a global drinking convention completely disconnected from its origin.
• Why Suerte Blanco is better appreciated slowly: A Blanco this carefully produced is not designed for the shot ritual. Crystal's recommendation — neat or with a light amount of water, at room temperature — reveals what the brick-oven production actually built into the spirit.

A Moment of Pourspective

The tequila shot is one of the most successful pieces of misinformation in spirits history — a method designed to mask a harsh product that has survived long after the harshness was bred out of the category. The best blancos do not need the salt and lime. They need a glass.

Explore the Conversation

The Suerte Blanco episode is one of TLC's shorter focused reviews — 10 minutes — but it carries a cultural history that gives it more depth than the runtime suggests. Crystal's discussion of the shot ritual's origin is the episode's most surprising educational moment: most people who have done hundreds of tequila shots have no idea why the salt and lime exist. The highland vs. valley tequila comparison is the episode's most useful sensory frame. Crystal describes the altitude-and-soil differences that distinguish highland agave from valley agave in terms of flavor expression — fruit and flowers versus earth and pepper. Suerte's highland sourcing produces the former. The brick oven discussion is brief but accurate: the Maillard reaction that occurs during slow cooking in a traditional horno produces flavor complexity that the rapid steam cooking of an industrial autoclave cannot replicate. Suerte's choice is a deliberate production cost that goes directly into the flavor.

Frequently Asked Questions

• What is Suerte Tequila? Suerte Tequila is a highland Jalisco tequila brand named for the Spanish word for 'luck,' with a rabbit logo referencing Mexican cultural symbolism. The brand uses traditional brick-oven agave cooking and highland Blue Weber agave.
• Why do people do tequila shots with salt and lime? The salt-lime-shot ritual originated as a practical technique for making harsh, poorly made tequila more palatable. With quality modern tequila, the ritual is not necessary and actually masks the flavors you would enjoy without it.
• What is the difference between highland and valley tequila? Highland (Los Altos) tequila is typically more fruit-forward, floral, and aromatic. Valley (Tequila) tequila tends to be more earthy, herbal, and peppery. The difference comes from soil type, altitude, and climate in the agave's growing region.
• Where can I find Suerte Tequila? At suertetequila.com and through national distribution at spirits retailers.

Episode at a Glance

• Spirit reviewed: Suerte Blanco Tequila
• Hosts: Crystal and Roger
• Runtime: 10 minutes
• Category: Tequila & Mezcal
• Topics: Highland Jalisco agave, rabbit symbolism in Mexican culture, tequila shot origin story