About 100 miles southwest of the town of Tequila, Mexico, the Marriott Puerto Vallarta Resort & Spa welcomes guests to the region with a tequila education program and a proprietary brand of tequila, CasaMagna. The two offerings are helmed by the resort’s Tequilier (tequila sommelier) who helps introduce guests to the state of Jalisco, which both Tequila (the town) and the resort call home. “We are nestled in the cradle of tequila, and it was important to us to share this, where we are, with our guests; educate them about our unique culture and land, and to transmit our passion for the spirit to them as well,” says Audrey Formisano, Tequilier at Marriott Puerto Vallarta Resort & Spa. 

The program came to fruition two decades ago when Mr. Dennis Whitelaw, general manager of the resort at the time, desired to share all that Puerto Vallarta’s locale represented. When Formisano joined the team, the program flourished to include even more interactive experiences in relation to tequila, and particularly, with CasaMagna. Today, these experiences range from a complimentary tequila tasting to a private session led by Formisano, or simply opting for one of the resort’s signature cocktails over sunset.

The property works with Tequila Selecto de Amatitán to produce four expressions of CasaMagna—blanco, reposado, añejo, and añejo extra—only available on property. Formisano shares, “It was important for us to support a local producer to accurately promote our culture.” She adds the distinct flavor of the tequila—with notes of floral, wood, caramel, and cinnamon—combined with the fact it can only be sold at the hotel, makes the label an exclusive blend, and one unique to the property and Marriott resorts internationally. Today, the resort is the only Marriott hotel in the world to produce their own brand of tequila, something Formisano and the team take pride in. 

“We never wanted to compete with other companies that have been in the market for years and that’s why we only sell our tequila at the hotel,” shares Formisano. “We don’t have the permission to sell it anywhere else and it was, after all, designed to be an educational tool for our guests to learn about our destination’s culture.”

Below, Formisano shares more about the initiatives of the tequila education program, as well as what guests can expect upon check-in, including the property’s library of 180 tequila bottles. 

Jillian Dara: How did the idea of creating a tequila education program come about?  

Audrey Formisano: The idea of having our own tequila came to be because the town of Tequila is in Jalisco, the same Mexico state as where Marriott Puerto Vallarta Resort & Spa is located. The tequila came first and the program shortly after. It was important that we make our own tequila because we did not want to be affiliated with another (any one) brand as people will make the comparison and it’s key to remember that tequila is not our main business, but a unique aspect to the resort for teaching our guests about our local culture. 

JD: How do you reflect the hotel and property in the label?

AF: Our bottle, which is locally handmade, is blue to reflect the agave field, and the label also features a drawing of the agave plant. The name CasaMagna used to be the name of the hotel, so that is the origin of our tequila’s name. Now, guests at the resort can find even the blue agave printed wallpaper in our Jalisco-inspired guest rooms.

JD: Can you share more about the flavor profiles of the tequila?

AF: Our blanco smells like agave, has a floral taste and a fresh finish. It pairs well with light flavors like seafood, lime, and apple, as it balances the palate. In the reposado, you'll start to smell the hints of oak and caramel. It's woody and tastes like chocolate or vanilla (depending on the taster) and has a smooth, buttery finish. It works well with heavier entrees or strongly flavored dishes like chicken or a more potent fruit. The añejo will have a strong oak smell and woody taste, and can have a chocolate, caramel, vanilla or even toasted almond taste. It has a creamy finish and is usually served with dessert, usually anything chocolate, like mousse. The añejo extra has similar tastes but a deeper caramel and chocolate flavor; a good after dinner drink.

JD: Why did you think it was so important to offer this type of amenity for your guests and how has it proven itself?

AF: It was important for us to offer it to the guests because it was a cultural experience many of our guests aren’t familiar with. At first, we were only offering the bottle to our guests during site inspections as a thank you for bringing in group transactions, but we quickly found that the overwhelming positive response meant that we needed to sell it and showcase it at the property. 

JD: Do you offer a unique cocktail featuring your tequila?

AF: We offer several cocktails featuring out tequila (and of course guests can also request it in any cocktail we make on property), but some examples include the Mango Margarita which is made with our Tequila Blanco but also our Rosemary Smoked Ginger Margarita which is crafted with:

• 3 ounces CasaMagna añejo
• 1 ounce of lime juice
• 1 spoon of ginger puree
• 3 spoons of agave syrup

JD: How do you engage guests with the drinks? 

AF: Immediately when guests walk in, they will see our open air Ceviche + Tequila bar adjacent to the lobby which has over 180 bottles of tequila on display (similar to a library), but we also have our CasaMagna showcased front and center in the lobby to catch the eye of the guest. Our resort fee includes a basic tequila tasting and of course we offer CasaMagna whenever a guest asks for a margarita. We also offer our tequila bottle as an amenity during a site inspection and, on occasion, include it in a hotel package. 

JD: Aside from the tequila, how have the spirits and bar offerings at the property changed in the last decade? 

AF: Tequila continues to grow in popularity and we’ve noticed that in the last few years guests have more knowledge about tequila, but we also see a growing interest in mezcal and raicilla. There’s been a shift for sure. Guests are more demanding than before as they like to create their own drinks, which is a welcome challenge as it also pushes us to be even more creative.