Years ago, Lupita and her husband went to a nice restaurant in Guadalajara. Lupita asked for a pour of a popular tequila. “I ordered a reposado, neat. It was awful. I started ranting to my husband about how sad it was to be sitting in Guadalajara, Jalisco, unable to find a good, sipping tequila. After all, Jalisco is the land of tequila. He explained the dynamics and politics of the industry—how it was changing—and that while there were good tequilas out there, few had the market purchase to reach mainstream popularity. My family and I come from Jalisco. Every family gathering, celebration, outing, and Sunday dinner was accompanied by a bottle or two of tequila on the table. It’s just what the grownups drank, mostly in the form of Palomas or neat. Nobody got drunk. But tequila was a natural part of the experience. Good food. Good drink. I love those memories.”
Lupita continues, “I understand why it’s uncommon for most people to sip and enjoy tequila. Historically, popular tequila brands had the tendency to burn the palate. I want Dos Caras to help lead the shift in how people appreciate tequila. Tequila requires deep dedication to the agave, good soil, exceptional talent, and lots of time to create. I think people would be surprised to know that even without aging, it takes at least eight years to make a single bottle of Dos Caras. But this level of quality isn’t new. It’s exactly what I remember of tequila growing up. In family settings. In gatherings. In celebrations. Tequila was part of the moments we all shared with love and laughter.”
“Dos Caras is a luxury line of tequila. We are woman and Mexican owned and operated. And our tequila is sustainably produced in Arandas, Jalisco. An expression of land, time, and attention, Dos Caras is built on our devotion to the spirit of agave, with a story that’s made to move the soul”, adds Lupita.
“We all want to see Dos Caras take off fast and scale quickly. But I’ve resisted the urge to push the brand to grow faster. As I relax and watch Dos Caras gain traction in Las Vegas, popping up in clubs throughout the city and in some of the biggest casinos, I see how the brand is gaining strength and building slowly. It might sound silly, but Dos Caras has a soul that’s guiding us as a company. We’re learning to listen and follow—diligently, happily, excitedly. Our focus right now is on staying curious and putting our best efforts forward—being great partners to the establishments, venues, and retailers that take on our product.”
Can you tell us about the name, Dos Caras?
“Yes, Dos Caras means “two faces,” but not two-faced or duplicitous. It’s an idea that there are many sides of our true selves—and that to live fully is to be you, all of you. Also, I like to joke that we have one “cara” before we drink, and another “cara” after. You know, Dos Caras.”
Please elaborate about the sustainability and governance.
“Our production team in Mexico is incredible. Our master distiller, Gilberto Jasso-Garcia, is world-renowned, and I’m proud of the fact that 90% of the quality control, bottle line, and packaging is handled by women. Committed to sustainable distilling practices, we utilize solar panels and the regenerative Hurst BioMass boiler to source clean, renewable energy to produce our tequila. In fact, we were the first distillery in Mexico to implement these processes.”
Why motivate your team to launch the Dos Caras brand?
“Dos Caras is made for people looking for something different. Something that makes them sit up and take notice. Something distinguished and a bit riotous. Something they can find nowhere else on the planet. Just like Las Vegas. This is why people come from all over the world to partake in all the amazing experiences that Vegas has to offer. We’re thrilled and excited for the opportunity to be a part of that experience, no matter how small. Our hope, of course, is that we’ll make an impression, and that visitors to Vegas will want to bring a little Dos Caras home—or purchase it from our online store at DosCarasTequila.com.
In addition, Las Vegas has really welcomed us with open arms. We have great partnerships throughout the city, including with Nevada Beverage, Greenspun Media Group, and Vinny Bonsignore of Raider Nation Radio.
This is why from day one it was important for us to begin giving back to this amazing community—dedicating a portion of our sales revenue to local charities, such as Cure 4 The Kids and Chef 4 Kids.”
What is your number one rule above all that’s indicative of the Dos Caras brand?
“Never sacrifice quality. In product. In brand. In service to our customers, our distributor, and our retailers. Rather than seek success for the sake of success, my team lives by the practice of excellence. We know that if excellence is our discipline, success follows—making tequila as it was meant to be -honored, cherished, and shared.
What’s next for Dos Caras?
“First, delivering for the partners who have entrusted us to deliver an exceptional product in Nevada. Second, carefully and thoughtfully expanding—just a few states at a time—shifting how Americans appreciate and experience tequila. And third, taking our product and our message of “Be You, All of You” international.”
We’d like to thank Lupita and her Dos Caras team for sharing with us the significance of the process, importance of the quality and overall, what quite simply makes Lupita Zepeda the “Queen of Tequila!” We look forward to the continued expansion of the Dos Caras brand throughout Las Vegas and to see where Lupita and her team takes Dos Caras on their journey!
Leave a Reply