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Americans drinking tequila in protest of President Trump, report claims
Tequila has replaced other liquors as the popular drink of choice
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Your support makes all the difference.No longer relegated to rounds of party shots, tequila is having a moment in the spotlight as the new drink of choice for those with a refined palette - and strong political opinions.
According to the Distilled Spirits Council, sales of the blue agave-based drink have risen 121 per cent since 2002.
One reason behind the increase is because the rich and famous have adopted the liquor as their go-to drink.
George Clooney, Justin Timberlake and P Diddy are well-known fans of the drink, having created their very own brands - and others have caught on as well.
On the Oscars red carpet, Helen Mirren downed a shot of tequila and wellness-obsessed Gwyneth Paltrow even promotes the alcohol for its lack of gluten and minimal caloric content.
While tequila is delicious, the underlying reason the liquor may be seeing a rise in popularity could have to do with the divisive speech of the President of the United States.
According to the New York Times: “For some people, drinking tequila, a type of mescal made from the blue agave plant in specific regions of Mexico - as well as other kinds of mescal - is even a way to signal dissent from the presidency of Donald Trump, who has made a border wall between the United States and Mexico a priority.”
For John Rexer, founder of Ilegal Mezcal, Trump’s campaign led him to create a line of Donald Trump-themed merchandise - which he has used to fundraise for various organisations focused on education, undocumented youth and immigration reform, women’s reproductive rights, wildlife animal protection, and LGBT advocacy.
Rexer also held a drinking protest, “A Shot at Donald,” which donated $2 for every photo of an Ilegal bottle alongside the hashtag #AShotAtDonald.
And bars across the nation have responded to the president’s views with cocktails that protest in a subtle way.
For The Standard Hotel in New York City, this meant introducing “the #resist as a cocktail to support the campaign that promotes justice and equality.” Speaking to SuperCall, Ashley Santoro, regional beverage director for The Standard said: “We’ve dedicated a lot of energy in supporting and partnering with spirits brands that have a political voice and donate a portion of their revenue to charities that have been victim to some of the recent (un)developments.”
The ever-increasing tequila consumption comes as tequila brands have expressed worry about the potential negative impacts a poor relationship with the United States can have on their sales.
But by consuming the liquor proudly and heavily, Americans seem to be showing their support for Mexico - and their favourite imported beverage.
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