Adam Gilchrist’s El’Arquero Tequila has a Byron Bay Connection

Adam Gilchrist - yes, that Adam Gilchrist, the Australian cricketing legend widely regarded as the greatest wicket-keeper-batsman in the history of the game - has just launched his tequila brand El’Arquero. The name ‘El’Arquero’, which roughly translates to ‘The Keeper’ in English, is a nod to his achievements on the cricket pitch as well as to tequila being a keeper of good times with friends. This is not simply a case of celebrity endorsement - Gilchrist has been the driving force behind the creation of El’Arquero, setting out with the vision to create a premium, great-tasting tequila that will change the way Aussies view and enjoy the spirit. As well as being hands-on with every aspect of its creation, Gilchrist is front-and-center as El’Arquero is released, sharing his passion for the tequila he has created and encouraging Aussies to experience a different kind of tequila this summer.

After negative and hangover-inducing initial experiences with tequila, “shots of tequila that tasted like nails on the dance floor at 3am”, Gilchrist was introduced to good quality tequila in the 90’s and it quickly became his go-to drink – his cricket podcast ‘Club Prairie Fire’ is named after his favourite drink, a Prairie Fire, which is a shot of tequila with a dash of tobasco hot sauce. As a long-time lover of tequila, he explains that it had been his dream for decades to create his own tequila and two years ago his wife Mel challenged him to finally do it. Gilchrist rose to the challenge and founded El’Arquero together with Mel and a bunch of mates with the goal of creating a high quality, authentic, great-tasting tequila. One of those mates is Byron Bay distiller Eddie Brook, founder of Cape Byron Distillery and Brookie’s Gin. Brook previously worked as a tequila ambassador and his deep knowledge of the spirit coupled with his experience as a distiller made him a natural choice as one of the co-founders for Gilchrist’s tequila endeavor. The other co-founders are Gilchrist’s best mate John Eastham, his long-time manager Steve Atkinson, and Dan Fitzgerald from Fourth Wave Wine.

The group travelled to Mexico and, with the help of a tequila consultant, met with potential distilling partners, putting them through their paces to find the right fit for the tequila they wanted to create. Tequila originates from the Mexican state of Jalisco – there is actually a city called ‘Tequila’ in Jalisco which is the birthplace of the drink that bears its name. Made from the blue weber agave plant which grows in the red volcanic soil in and around the city of Tequila, a spirit can legally only be called ‘tequila’ if it is made in the state of Jalisco and limited other municipalities in surrounding states. From the beginning it was important to Gilchrist that his tequila brand was authentic and that it did justice to the long tradition of tequila production that is the lifeblood of this part of Mexico. In Jalisco, tequila really is life – it is a tradition that has been handed down from generation to generation and it supports and sustains entire communities.

Gilchrist and his co-founders went deep to get an understanding of potential distilling partners, looking at everything from the style of tequila they produce and the process they use to produce it, to understanding the way they operate as a business. It was important to the group that their tequila be a wholly natural product, completely free of any additives, made using traditional methods. They landed on a third-generation tequila distiller in Arandas, Jalisco, a family-run business with an incredible passion for every aspect of the tequila they produce from the way in which the agave is farmed to the distillation process, and a business with deep links and significance to the community of Arandas. The group worked closely with their new partner on the creation of their tequila – reviewing and tweaking the distillation process and testing out multiple versions of the spirit before they landed on the final cut that would become El’Arquero.

Gilchrist has stayed true to his desire to create a tequila without any additives – El’Arquero is made from agave, yeast and water alone, there are no additives, artificial flavours or colours. The El’Arquero team settled on a specific distillation, blending and aging process to produce their spirit which gives it a unique flavour profile. Last week I had the pleasure of trying both the El’Arquero Blanco and the Reposado and they are both exceptional tequilas as well as being something quite different to what is currently available on the market. El’Arquero Blanco tequila is a fresh, vibrant spirit, very smooth on the palate - it contains a small portion of lightly aged tequila to bring out subtle notes of vanilla and a delicate creaminess. El’Arquero Reposado tequila has been rested for 6 months in ex-bourbon casks and has all the lively characteristics of the original spirit with added depth and warm notes of vanilla. El’Arquero Anejo tequila, literally ‘aged’ tequila, will be released in 2026 – this spirit requires a minimum of 12 months aging.

Gilchrist sees a shift globally towards tequila, bucking the trend towards low-alcohol or non-alcoholic drinks, and he is keen to educate people about both drinking better quality tequila and also about enjoying tequila in new ways. In Mexico it is the Jimadors who harvest the blue weber agave used to make tequila, a deeply respected skill passed down through generations which directly impacts the quality of the tequila that is produced. Gilchrist asked one of the Jimadors he met in Mexico how he enjoys his tequila and he was given a recipe that is now one of El’Arquero’s signature cocktails ‘The Maximo’ – El’Arquero blanco, pineapple juice, soda, fresh lime and a pinch of salt served in a tall glass. El’Arquero pairs well with a number of other mixers – I love it in a Paloma cocktail with Pink Grapefruit Soda, and it of course works perfectly in a margarita - as well as being a really beautiful tequila to serve neat. And if you want to enjoy shots of tequila on the dance floor at 3am (does anywhere allow this anymore?!?), then make it a great quality, smooth shot of El’Arquero. If you are a tequila lover, El’Arquero is about to become your favorite tequila; if you are not a tequila lover, I can guarantee that El’Arquero is the one that will change your mind.