For many of us, Hallowe’en seems to have become an excuse for children to load up on sugar and terrorise their neighbours’ houses. One Arb contributor reported he must have had some 40 calls in the space of an hour on Wednesday night, to the extent he simply left his door open, a bucket of Haribo on the threshold and a scrawled note saying, ‘Don’t bother asking, just take the treat.’
Frankly, leave Halloween to the kids, grown-ups have a far more appealing, even meaningful festival, in the Day of the Dead, or Día de los Muertos, falling only a couple of days after. Rather than an excuse for commercialisation, such is its significance it is culturally recognised in its native Mexico with a public holiday, where families pay their respects to and honour their departed.
Admittedly, it’s not without its commercialisation, too, but there’s at least an air of reverence and sophistication about it – and the make-up’s cooler, to be honest – and, being Mexican, it gives a great excuse for a proper fiesta, with colour, pageantry and mariachi music.
And with fiesta comes tequila, and this year el Jimador, one of the country’s leading brands, and the only one to be made in the last tequila-producing hacienda in the world, is celebrating in style with wrap-around label illustrations from American ‘Day of the Dead’ artist David Lozeau.
Transporting you to the heart of Mexico, these 100% agave tequilas are, for a short time only, presented in these limited-edition bottles, with the designs embodying the Mexican spirit of Day of the Dead and epitomising el Jimador’s philosophy of encouraging their consumers to live life in its most vibrant form.
El Jimador, named in honour of the jimadores who make the drink, comes exclusively from Amatitán, Jalisco, and is produced with 100% blue Weber agave tequila, crafted with nothing but pure determination and know-how. The result is both the young and fresh Blanco, crystal-clear and buzzing with citrus notes, while the award-winning Reposado, matured for two months in handmade American oak barrels, offers a warmer, more seasoned flavour.
El Jimador is not one for shooting with lime and salt after six pints on a Friday night, but celebrating in style; savouring with a sip or, better still, served as a classic, refreshing Paloma cocktail topped with grapefruit soda, a squeeze of fresh lime juice and garnished with a wedge of fresh grapefruit.
Time to put away the pumpkins, there’s a better way to pay your respects to the dead.
The limited edition Day of the Dead El Jimador Blanco and Reposado expressions are available in selected stores while stocks last, RRP £20.
