Meet KC’s new Latino-owned, Gay-owned Tequila Brand: Apuesto
Our very own Culture & Designed Editor Josh Montes launched a tequila brand that’s winning the hearts & tastebuds of locals!
Photos courtesy of Josh Montes
You may know Josue Montes better as @1dapperlatino. His social media content can range from showcasing his interior design projects to pictures of him walking down the runway wearing a pink By Egreis suit in KC’s Fashion Week. He wears many hats in the creative world (and rocks them all with effortless style). You’d be hard pressed to find a local creative that isn’t familiar with Montes. He seems to be everywhere, have his hand in everything, and know everyone. For example, Montes’ currently sits on the board of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, the Mid-America LGBT Chamber of Commerce, the Charlotte Street Foundation, the Folly Theater, and the Fashion Group International KC. His energizer bunny-like creative spirit and influence seems to know no bounds.
However, his most recent business endeavor shows a different side to the KC creative. Taking his enthusiasm for food and drink to the next level, Montes launched his tequila brand Apuesto earlier this year. The tequila is aptly named as it means ‘dapper’ in Spanish. The spirit, with its beautiful amber hue, is a private reserve barrel rosa reposado. You can translate that to ‘really dang good.’ Aged in Napa Valley Cabernet French Oak Barrels, the pure blue Weber agave has a depth of flavor that makes for a well-rounded libation. According to the Apuesto website, this specific historic style of aging sets it apart from the usual whiskey barrel-aged tequila. The result is an aromatic, herbal, and citrusy liquor that is oh-so-smooth. Plus, there are no additives, sugars, flavors, colors, or chemicals.
While the suave tequila seems to be a natural product from Montes’ brand, the spirit is a bit more personal for him. As he began his creative pursuits around six years ago, a tequila brand was on the list of seemingly impossible goals to accomplish within his five-year plan. “The process has been a labor of love,” says Montes, “but I’m someone who believes in timing.” He claims to be a year late to fulfilling his goal, but it may be the case that he’s right on time.
Nevertheless, Apuesto did not come to fruition without a lot of collaboration. The owner of the plaza’s Monarch bar David Manica not only encouraged Montes to follow through with his agave-soaked dreams but also put him in touch with Código, a tequila brand that is produced by a family of distillers that have been practicing the art of distilling for generations with their “centuries-old artisan techniques.” Apuesto is made in collaboration with Código which is why you’ll see Código’s cross logo on the Apuesto bottles.
Under the engraving of ‘Apuesto,’ you’ll see the phrase, Estilo De Vida, which translates to ‘lifestyle.’ It’s a fitting description because the tequila seems to be a representation, almost an embodiment, of Montes himself. “I am Mexican through and through,” says Montes, whose parents are from Chihuahua, Mexico. While the tequila spirit has been a longtime love of Montes’, Apuesto’s well balanced nature also further cements the owner’s essence. “For me, there’s a sense of femininity and masculinity in [Apuesto] and friends tell me ‘Hey, that’s kind of like you,’” says Montes. As a gay man of color, Montes’ journey into the world of tequila feels like a momentous occasion. “This means quite a bit for me,” says Montes. “I really want this to be a gay-owned Latino-owned product. I’m proud of this. I’m proud of myself.”
Considering the Feburary launch party resulted in over 300 guests and over half of the small-batch bottles have sold out already, you could say that KC is thoroughly enjoying the high-end tequila brand. Once the bottles of this current batch are gone, Montes hopes to make the tequila more widely available for those who are looking to imbibe and continue to elevate the brand.
Bottles of Apuesto are available exclusively for sale at the Monarch Bar in the Plaza.
