Building on the success of Gran Coramino’s Cristalino and Añejo, Hart and Beckmann aimed to create a unique Reposado with their aged approach to flavor.
Gran Coramino’s new Reposado—and its other expressions—begin with piñas, or hearts, picked from blue agave plants in Beckmann’s family-owned fields. The piñas, harvested at eight to ten years to ensure optimal ripeness, undergo days-long roasting in traditional brick ovens before extracted juices are slowly fermented. The juices undergo double distillation in copper pot stills and are aged for months in new American and French white oak barrels. What gives this Reposado its edge? The final step is blending with Extra Añejo Tequilas matured in Brandy barrels. “The result is an incredibly unique Reposado Tequila with a complex and subtly sweet, brandy-laced finish,” says Beckmann.
“When you sip our Reposado, there will be no tequila face,” Hart says. “We want to show consumers that they deserve a higher standard of quality, no matter the price point.”
Whether deciding which expression to launch next, tasting samples or bringing Hart’s high-energy, absurdist humor to the brand’s social media presence (like this video where Hart, dressed in a lab coat, explains the symptoms of “tequila facialitis”), Hart says every creative step is collaborative.
“We’re true partners in every sense of the word and respect each other's strengths,” he says.
Hart’s schedule is anything but idle. In the last few years alone, the 45-year-old has starred in and executive produced dozens of projects, staged several stand-up tours and penned multiple self-help books and a sequel to his illustrated middle-grade novel series. Yet, when called to the tequila world, he aimed for more than just slapping his name on a bottle.
“I saw a gap in the market to create a tequila that prioritized quality and was more approachable for the consumer, and for me. Everything comes down to intention,” Hart says.
Hart partnered with Beckmann, whose tequila roots run deep. Beckmann’s family created the tequila category over 250 years ago and pioneered aging tequila at their distillery in Tequila, Mexico, known as the birthplace of the spirit. “You don’t get more expertise than that,” says Hart.
Many celebrities have approached Beckmann, but he says Hart’s “passion, hard work and enthusiasm” were infectious. Hart gushed about his love for tequila and knowing his audience in their early meetings—and even committed to training as a tequila taster in Mexico.
Bringing people together to celebrate the big and small stuff is Hart’s ultimate M.O. “What really sets Gran Coramino apart is the energy it brings out when you're sipping on it,” says Hart. “I want people to feel like you're part of the party. Like you're hanging out with your friends, laughing, joking around, and having the time of your life.”
Eradicating “tequila face” aside, Hart and Beckmann are committed to supporting their communities. The brand donates $1 per bottle to The Coramino Fund, a giveback program that has donated over $1 million in grants to Black and Latinx-owned small businesses across the U.S. and Mexico. They partnered with the Local Initiatives Support Corporation in the U.S. and The Beckmann Foundation in Mexico to bring their work to life.
Funding has bolstered entrepreneurs in Jalisco—like Erasmo Llamas and Marylin Saldate from Llamas Honey, who used their grant to invest in critical technology for expanding their micro-agriculture farm. In Cincinnati, Hart met with Jasmine Davis, who put her grant toward growing her burgeoning bakery, Sweet Jazz Treats. A sweet return: Davis made Hart a Gran Coramino cake at his recent tour stop through the Queen City.
“I look forward to watching their journey and to supporting more small business owners for years to come,” Hart says.
Ultimately, Hart and Beckmann want Gran Coramino’s Reposado—and all of their tequilas—to bring people together to celebrate life’s big and small moments.
“What really sets Gran Coramino apart is the energy it brings out when you're sipping on it,” says Hart. “I want people to feel like you're part of the party. Like you're hanging out with your friends, laughing, joking around and having the time of your life.”
Golden Honey
Toasted Oak & Roasted Agave
Toasted Oak, Stone Fruit & Sweet Roasted Agave
Long & Sweet With Brandy Notes
color
Aroma
Flavor
Finish
Partnering With A Tequila Trailblazer
Investing In
Small Businesses
Conclusion
“As one of the few Mexican generational family producers, we are responsible for protecting the industry and the people and land that produce it,” says Beckmann. “Kevin shares that respect and wants to make a product in the best way possible, including being sustainable and investing in our land and its people for the long term.”
Beckmann toured Hart through his family’s La Rojeña Distillery in the Jalisco region to learn about every step of the tequila-making process. He met the Jimadores who’ve harvested the quintessential agaves for generations. Hart tasted agave right out of the oven and even took a swipe with a coa—a “crazy sharp” machete used to cut agave leaves.
“I already knew Juan was an expert, but when I saw his work ethic in person, the impact of his family's heritage and commitment to quality resonated most deeply with me,” Hart says.
Juan Domingo Beckmann
As one of the few Mexican generational family producers, we are responsible for protecting the industry and the people and land that produce it.”
Kevin Hart
I look forward to watching their journey and to supporting more small business owners for years to come.”
Lime Drop Shot
Tequila & Tonic
Tequila Caipirinha
1.5oz Gran Coramino Reposado
3oz Tonic Water
Navel Orange Half Moon Slice
Fill a collins glass with fresh ice, add Gran Coramino Reposado, top with tonic water and drop a navel orange half-moon slice into the glass.
INGREDIENTS
INSTRUCTIONS
CORAMINO TNT
Reposado Signature Serves
Kevin Hart
I like our Reposado in a TNT.
That’s tequila mixed with tonic
water and an orange slice dropped in. It’s simple, but full of flavor.”
Credit: Photo courtesy of Art Streiber
2oz Gran Coramino Reposado
0.5oz Simple Syrup
5 Lime Wedges
Sugar Half-Rim Garnish
Moisten half of a rocks glass rim with a lime wedge and lightly dip the glass into a platter of sugar at a 45-degree angle to create a half-rim coat. Add lime wedges and simple syrup to the glass and muddle, then top with Gran Coramino Reposado, add fresh ice and give a quick stir with a bar spoon.
INGREDIENTS
INSTRUCTIONS
Coramino-Rinha
1oz Gran Coramino Reposado0.5oz Lime Juice0.75oz Simple SyrupLime Wedge & Sugar Chaser
Fill a cocktail shaker with fresh ice. Add lime juice, simple syrup and Gran Coramino Reposado, then shake and strain into two shot glasses. Dip lemon wedges in sugar and serve as a chaser, and optionally, rim each shot glass with sugar.
INGREDIENTS (Serves two)
INSTRUCTIONS
Mic Drop