Why Are There So Few Mexican Vodka Brands? How Luma Vodka is Paving the Way

Agave spirits like tequila and mezcal have become synonymous with Mexico since their introduction to the U.S. during Prohibition. Their global surge in popularity has led Mexico to dedicate a significant portion of its spirits production capacity to these agave-based beverages. As a result, many people associate Mexico solely with these spirits, and erroneously believe these are the only spirits Mexico is capable of producing.

However, things are beginning to change. Over the past decade, Mexico has experienced a remarkable craft spirits revolution. Producers across the country are challenging the notion that Mexico solely produces agave spirits by crafting world-class spirits unrelated to agave and traditionally associated with other regions, such as whiskey, gin, rum, and liqueurs.

Here are a few examples of non-agave Mexican liquors that have begun to take the world stage and challenge the notion that Mexico is only capable of producing agave spirits:

• Gin - Condesa Gin
• Rum - Paranubes
• Whiskey - Abasolo
• Liqueur - Alma Limoncello

Despite the impressive growth of non-agave Mexican craft spirits across various categories, one notable absence remains: vodka. While non-agave Mexican spirits are making significant strides globally, there are few, if any, widely available Mexican vodkas on the world stage. Even within Mexico itself, the vodka market is completely dominated by foreign brands like Smirnoff, Grey Goose, and Absolut. There are without a doubt a handful of fantastic Mexican vodka brands out there, but none have gotten anywhere near the level of popularity as other up-and-coming spirits. This raises the question: why, even now in the middle of the Mexican craft spirits revolution, are there so few Mexican vodkas?

The issue isn't a lack of domestic or global demand for vodka, but rather a perceived lack of Mexican identity in the spirit itself. While other non-agave Mexican spirits have successfully “mexicanized” their products with local elements (Unique Mexican botanicals in Condesa Gin, Oaxacan sugarcane in Paranubes, Lemons from Veracruz in Alma Limoncello, to give some examples), it’s difficult to “mexicanize” what is traditionally seen as a neutral spirit. If you can’t infuse your spirit with a unique Mexican taste, then what’s the point?

At Luma Vodka, our mission is to prove this notion wrong and show that Mexico can also produce world-class vodka. By incorporating uniquely Mexican ingredients, we aim to elevate this traditionally neutral spirit and give it a distinct Mexican taste. Luma Vodka uses sugarcane from the fields of Veracruz, and alkaline cenote water from the Yucatan Peninsula to create a vodka like no other. We want to normalize the concept of a Mexican vodka, similar to what Condesa did in the gin category. There is truly no reason why Mexico shouldn’t have a vodka brand it can be proud of. There’s a lot of work to be done on this front, but little by little, Luma Vodka seeks to pave the way for this to happen one customer and one establishment at a time!

If you’re interested in purchasing a bottle of Luma Vodka, or carrying it in your restaurant/bar, contact us here!