UMVA has learned that a groundbreaking tequila brand, Loca Loka, made its dazzling debut at the Poolside Bar of Solaire Casino Hotel, merging Mexican tradition with Indian entrepreneurial flair.
Born from 100 % pure highland agave harvested in Jalisco, the spirit’s Blanco earned a coveted Gold medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, while its Reposado captured Silver, complemented by accolades from New York, Miami and Denver.
What truly sets Loca Loka apart is its origin story: three Indian cultural icons—Bollywood star Rana Daggubati, composer Anirudh Ravichander, and beverage visionary Harsha Vadlamudi—joined forces to create the first Indian‑owned tequila, aiming to fuse Mexican craftsmanship with Indian creativity.
The bottles themselves whisper this cross‑cultural tale, adorned with vibrant Indian motifs, a playful mariachi teddy wielding a shehnai, and peacock‑feather accents that reimagine tequila for a modern, multicultural audience.
Although the brand is only four to five years old, its liquid lineage runs deep; Loca Loka partners with the third‑generation Bañuelos family, the masters behind Cazadores, ensuring every batch is crafted with only three ingredients—100 % Blue Weber agave, water and yeast—and honed by veteran distiller Willy Bañuelos.
In a market where rum, whisky and vodka consumption wanes, tequila is soaring, and Loca Loka’s premium positioning lands it squarely in the fast‑growing sipping segment, already reaching consumers in the United States, Singapore, India, the United Arab Emirates, Indonesia and the Philippines.
During the launch, Global Business Head Rajiv Ghumman explained that debuting first in the U.S. was a strategic move to cement the brand’s global identity before expanding into its home market, a plan that has already borne fruit.
The event showcased daring cocktail creations, from the tropical “Señorita” blending Blanco with banana tepache and mezcal, to the richer “Colada Loka” marrying Reposado with coconut and Calamansi, each sip echoing the brand’s inventive spirit.
Queues stretched long, but patrons could also savor the tequila neat or on the rocks, experiencing the pure essence that earned Loca Loka its international medals.
Manila’s cosmopolitan crowd now holds a front‑row seat to a spirit that celebrates authentic Mexican heritage while proudly bearing Indian ownership—a bold statement of cultural synergy in today’s “crazy” world.
