Who doesn’t like a hard shot of agave sprinkled with some lime and salt around the ridges of the glass? Many will tell you that this portion is the ideal elixir that boosts bad decisions, like calling your ex, while giving you a hit likened to one of Mike Tyson’s knockout punches. If you’re looking to spice up your agave entourage, then you should try the Maya Pistola Agavepura, India’s homegrown agave.
The Genesis Of Maya Pistola Agavepura
This liquid of happiness is a 100% aged agave spirit. This is only the second agave-based spirit that is launched in the country after Desmondji’s 51% and 100% agave spirits. Pistola Agavepura is launched by Rakshay Dhariwal along with his sister Radhika Dhariwal who collectively run Pass Code Hospitality in India and have been zealous contributors in the F & B industry.
As you hold the visually appealing Pistola bottle, you’ll notice that the word ‘tequila’ is not inherently written on its front. The reason behind it is that the strict Geographical Indication laws prohibit calling a spirit ‘tequila’ unless it’s made in Jalisco, Mexico. In search of a peppier and quirky name, they came up with Maya Pistola Agavepura, where Maya is the reimagined Indian version of the goddess of Agave, Mayahuel.
What Does It Taste Like?
The creation of this wonderful spirit has a process as intriguing. The agave plant is reared in the Deccan Plateau from where it is taken to a distillery situated in the Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh. The distilled product is then taken to Goa where it will be blended, aged, and bottled. The 100% agave spirit is pot-distilled twice and stored in ex-bourbon barrels for 70 days. This results in a smooth and silky flavor that suits the Indian palate.
Pistola comes with its first offering called the Reposado. It’s meant to be sipped and devoured, not exactly used for shots. Each drop of that heavenly liquid needs to be cherished neat or on the rocks. It’s creamy with slight hints of caramel and vanilla, small shades of pepper and cacao, and finishes off with butterscotch. This is the supposed journey you will endure while tasting the Reposado. It’s smooth and mellow, and not so harsh as compared to how an aged agave spirit would rub off.
Also read: 5 Mezcal Cocktails You Should Try
How Should You Have It?
Although the spirit can be consumed on its own, you can get experimental with it as well. You can use this spirit to make a few simple cocktails such as Tommy’s Margarita, Batanga, or Paloma with Indian Grapefruit. But, try enjoying it neat to get a better zing of all of its creamy rich flavor.
The Reposado is just one of the many variants of Pistola. In due time, Dhariwal aims to release Smoky Agave (their version of a Blanco, an unaged agave), Añejo (matured for 1 year), Extra Añejo (matured for more than 3 years), and Cask Strength Extra Añejo.
Currently, Pistola is available in Goa and Delhi at INR 2,695 for 750ml. It will soon be available in Maharashtra and Karnataka.
