Hold on to your shot glasses, Kolkata! This June, Maya Pistola Agavepura, Asia’s first 100% aged agave spirit, strutted into town with its oh-so-smooth variant, Reposado. Pistola, the Beyoncé of agave spirits, has already bagged more awards than Sharmaji ka beta and yes, it’s a flex! From Double Gold at SIP Awards 2024 to a slew of silverware at prestigious competitions, this spirit is hotter than the Kolkata summer.
Founded by the sibling duo — Rakshay and Radhika Dhariwal — Pistola is here to prove that agave is the new black. Distilled from the finest Agave Americana from Chittoor, and aged in Goa, Pistola’s Reposado promises a hangover-free ride to flavour town. Aged for six months in American White Oak and ex-Bourbon casks, it’s got the smooth, warm finish that’ll make your taste buds tango. Pistola’s expressions are made of pure, unadulterated, 100% agave, earning the name ‘Agave-Pura’. The variants Joven, Reposado, Rosa, Añejo, and Extra Añejo are made with 100% agave spirit, with the brand committed to an authentic agave experience using neither additives nor mixers.
Meet the Reposado
‘Reposado’ means ‘rested’ in Spanish, but with its intense aromas of butterscotch, vanilla, and crème brûlée, and a palate bursting with orange marmalade and pineapple, this spirit is anything but sleepy. Best enjoyed chilled, with ice and a slice of orange, it’s the perfect partner for your next soiree.
At a tantalising 40% ABV and priced at Rs 4,110 for 750ml, Reposado will be making appearances at the swankiest spots in Kolkata. Look for it at haunts like The Oberoi Grand, AMPM, Little Bit Sober, Miss Ginko, and Griffin Bar at JW Marriott. Prefer to sip in your slippers? Grab a bottle from Hedonne or Spencers, or let Swiggy bring this golden elixir straight to your door.
Long-term commitment
The Agave Americana plants, aged 11 to 13 years, first get VIP treatment and are then steamed and pressurised to extract the natural sugars from their precious piñas. Then, they ferment in wooden vats with yeast and are double distilled in a part-copper pot followed by a woodsy affair — as they are aged in Virgin American White Oak, Ex-Bourbon, or Ex-Red Wine casks. This process brings its own flavour and colour to the mix with no additives — just pure, barrel-aged goodness. Blended with precision and non-chill filtered, Pistola's spirit captures the essence of Goa’s salty sea air for a coastal kick.
The Reposado is aged in a trifecta of casks for a smoothness that's quite like tequila with a PhD in complexity.
Legend has it...
The agave plant Pixabay
The story of the goddess of agave, Mayahuel, transforming into the agave plant is a popular legend in the world of Tequila and Mezcal. Pistola reimagined this tale to explore how agave came to India’s Deccan Plateau. Legend has it that Mayahuel turned into an agave plant to escape her wicked grandmother. Despite being discovered and tragically cut apart, her lover, the Wind God, scattered her leaves across the world's richest soils, including India's Deccan plateau. She embodies the spirit of Maya Pistola, where her story lives on in every sip.
