Justin Timberlake Hosts 901 Tequila Launch Party in NYC (FINALLY!)
www.halogenlife.com
6.14.09
Justin Timberlake’s 901 Tequila, which we’ve covered a couple of times, hosted a launch party June 13 in Manhattan’s sorta-swanky-ish Meatpacking District. 901 co-investor Musician/Actor Timberlake, along with 901 president Kevin Ruder (and who knows who else) were on hand to meet and greet the beautiful crowd who lined up at 9:01pm (get it?) to try the new silver tequila.
I will say there were three things I loved about the crowd:
I’m heartened by the trend in mid-thigh, straight-line skirts for the summer. Combine with the 3- to 4-inch heels (either stilleto or chunky), the outfits made the myriad of tanned and toned legs attending look great. I saw only one pair of booties (I do like those) and one pair of gladiators (thank god there weren’t more. Please let this trend die). New York being New York, most folks left JT alone to enjoy the evening and catch up with his real friends (I’m guessing).
Timberlake, in porkpie hat and thick black “Dexter” glasses oversaw the crowd from a raised section of the bar while Ruder worked the crowd. Accompanied by a half-dozen friends and two very large body guards, JT wasn’t so much on display as in the background. Meanwhile a veiled VIP section drew little interest from the crowd as well. During a launch party, don’t you want your VIPs on display?
As far as Timberlake was concerned, he wasn’t big on committing, but did let me know he wanted this product to be huge. I asked him how he liked his own tequila, which garnered a big “duh.” Which of the evening’s featured cocktails was his favorite? “Well, it depends…” I asked him if he’d tried all three cocktails, which got the most enthusiastic response, “Oh yeah! That’s one of the best things about owning your own tequila—you get to try all the cocktails people are mixing up.” Asked him where he saw 901 competing on the tequila spectrum—Corzo, Patron, Partida, Don Julio? JT just nodded and said, “Yup, we’re definitely going up against all the bad boys.” Ruder was more committal—for him, Partida is the luxury tequila that has set the bar to beat. I appreciate the former Anheuser-Busch exec’s lofty ambitions.
Did mister Dick-in-the-Box know much about the tequila process before investing in 901 (he toured Jalisco with Ruder a couple of times prior to the launch)? “Well, I drank a lot of it,” he joked. The company confirms he won’t be a public face/spokesperson for the tequila, but merely an investor. That said, I’m sure you’ll see lots of photo ops with Timberlake at 901 parties. Just the way things work.
901 itself appears to be positioning itself as both a party drink and a smooth sippin’ tequila. The ad campaign "It’s Always Reserved…It’s Always 901…It’s Always (you get the picture) emphasizes the gold-lame-and-viscose atmosphere of trendy Vegas nightclubs, while the press materials stresses the distillation process and drinking 901 neat.
I reviewed 901 last month elsewhere, and didn’t give it the best of reviews. I’d love to say that meeting Ruder (who was exceedingly gracious) and Timberlake (who was a bit guarded) changed my mind, but it didn’t really. Like much of the product out of Tequilera Newton (the Jalisco distillery 901 works with), the blanco tequila is a bit harsh at both the approach and finish, like the shots we used to take in college. A blind tasting of tequilas I did the next day at New York’s Bar Show helped confirm this. My notes for 901 (which I didn’t know was participating) say it has a “bold, earthy nose. On the mouth, it’s a little harsher, with slight pepper tones. Not as complex, though more lemon notes and some mild aromatics.”
Yes, it’s made of 100% Blue Weber agave (it has to be at least 51% by law), yes, it’s triple distilled (some aficionados argue anything more than the required two distillations is overkill and begins stripping tequila of its character). But there’s just something…unfinished about the product. To his credit, Ruder was gracious when I responded that drinking 901 neat wasn’t for me. Perhaps with time and tweaking, it will achieve the sippability JT and KR hope for.
In the meantime, the Dynamic Duo did ply us with three new cocktails: The Pepino (cucumber, citrus and Cointreau), the 901-and-Nectar (a sweet margarita riff with honey blossom syrup) and the Millington (another margarita riff with kumquat marmalade). While all three were a bit sweet for my taste, they were a hit with the younger, party-destined portion of the crowd (at least four ensembles I overheard were chatting up the Vegas nightlife, baby). Of the three, I found the 901-and-Nectar too cloying for my tastes. However, the Millington is a nice balance of sweet and sour, and I quite like the gin-inspired Pepino. It’s a refreshing summer drink that might even fare better without the agave nectar.
As I’ve written before, 901 should find a comfortable home among tequila cocktails and lime/salt shots. If you’re ready to experience a little of the 21st Century Nightlife, mix up the Pepino at home, pump the 80’s tunes and enjoy the summer:
The Pepino (from 901 Tequila)
- 1 1/2 oz 901 Silver Tequila
- 1 slice of English cucumber 1/4 inch thick
- 1/4 oz agave nectar
- 3/4 oz fresh lime juice
- 1/2 oz fresh pineapple juice / boiron pineapple puree
- 3 Italian basil leaves
- 1/2 oz Combier (Cointreau) Muddle the cucumber, then add the rest of the ingredients, ice, shake and pour into a tall glass. Garnish with a slice of cucumber and a sprig of basil
06.15.2009. 11:37
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