Daddy Yankee estrenó la semana pasada el disco Prestige, pero eso no es lo único nuevo que tiene.

El cantante ya cuenta con una línea de tequila, que llega al mercado con el nombre de Cartel. Se trata de una bebida hecha con agave azul y en cuyo proceso de elaboración participan agaveros de Jalisco, México. Son tres las variedades con diferentes sabores, de acuerdo con la pagina electrónica elcarteltequila.com

Yankee ha publicado en su cuenta de Twitter imágenes de la bebida y detalles de un evento relacionado a Cartel que hará el 14 de octubre en Miami Beach.

17 DE SEPTIEMBRE, 2012 – 5:16 PM EDT

“Prestige” is a very up-tempo, party album, isn’t it?

Yes. I think it’s similar to “Barrio Fino.” I took that blueprint and brought it to 2012. Rhythmically it’s very strong.

You’ve had several major hits from this album already, including “Lovumba,” which reached No. 1 on the Hot Latin Songs chart. When your creative process began, were you thinking album or singles?

Honestly, I simply was creating music and putting it out there. When I saw the singles were doing well, I said, ‘Lets finish this.’ People who follow me know I’ve been releasing singles nonstop since 2009. But also, there’s content of mine online that’s impossible to contain. And I’ve seen the results. I go to South America, Central America, Europe and everything [singles] I’ve released on the Internet are huge.

Can you give me an example?

“Llegamos a la Disco (We’re at the Disco)” for example, is an anthem for the urban movement but it was never on the radio. We have many other records like that. Our new street is called the Internet; that’s where everybody finds music. That’s where they find real information on what is happening with our genre. Our genre does not depend on radio anymore. It depends on a good video and putting music online, and things happen.
But you’re very strong on radio. In fact, from Prestige, “Lovumba” reached No. 1 on the Hot Latin songs chart, and “Pasarela” reached No. 5…

Yes, because I have a big following, even though I’m an urban act. But, “Lovumba” and “Llegamos a la Disco” had the same repercussion. Urban music has two audiences: The audience that listens to popular music, and the street. And if you separate yourself from that street, which is the root of the genre, you’re dead.
Your last album was released on El Cartel via a distribution deal with Sony. “Prestige” is coming out on Capitol Latin. Why another major label deal?

They made me a very tempting offer, economically speaking. And although I do everything independently, distribution is a whole other thing. It’s impossible for us to distribute around the world. We needed a partnership. With Capitol, I’m reaching more countries and they’ll work many more territories where my music is heard — in different parts of Europe, for example — but where I’m still not a brand. I’m giving them a percentage of the booking in some of those places in return.

Your biggest revenue comes from touring. But I’ve seen you tour both arenas and clubs. Why?

Both are equally important to me. Any club is important. All Latin music movements are born in clubs. There is no better research than going to a club. If your music works, it will bounce up. We’re doing a club tour with El Cartel tequila this winter, for example. We will hit the clubs via the music, and we’ll introduce the drink. It’s a very strategic and productive move.
Among the tracks on the album, which best represents it as a whole?

Wow. They’re so different and each a winner in its style. “Ven Conmigo” was a winner. “Lovumba,” amazing. “Pasarela” [used in a Verizon campaign] is now gaining strength. I have a record I love, “Limbo,” which is very catchy. It was one of the tricks up my sleeve, which I saved for last. That one and “La Noche de los Dos” with [Spanish pop singer] Natalia Jimenez. It’s a very mass-appeal track but it’s 100% urban. I didn’t want to do pop with her. And I give her credit for having seen the vision I had of the urban genre. I told her, ‘I’m going to make you look good without losing your essence.’
“Limbo” is being promoted as a Zumba track and you performed at their annual convention. How is that association working for you?

They loved the track because I use a very Puerto Rican word in there, which is “zumba,” which means trick, or joke. And they said they wanted to use the track for a Zumba campaign. I said, go for it. There are 12 million people taking Zumba classes every week around the world. If you can get that exposure to millions of people, and continue growing, it’s worth it. It’s promotion you didn’t have before.

You still decide everything that happens with your career?

100% I am the owner of the masters. Everything we license is under El Cartel. Everything.
You continue to be hugely popular, 10 years later, in a very young-leaning genre. How do you stay young and hip?

First, you have to understand that music is the root of everything. But when art ends, the business starts. When I talk about the Internet, it’s because young people are there. TV and radio are still what moves the masses and you can’t ignore that. But you also have to feed that monster that grows daily, which is the Internet. That’s where urban subcultures live. I tell you, you release a record, and you get 1.5 million downloads. You’re giving it away, yes, but millions of people are listening and your music will reach them. And it means business in terms of shows and activities.

And second, I surround myself with young producers with new ideas. I’ve never been into the classics. All my singles have their style and vibe and they’ve all been winners. And, what’s important in the urban world is everyone is requesting music that is 100% urban and 100% Latin. I made “Prestige” based on those comments. I always say, I like new cars, but I stay in my lane. That’s how I stay current.
You have your own line of Azad luxury watches and Section 8 Headphones and a major sponsorship deal with Verizon, among other deals. Now, you are a partner in the new El Cartel Tequila.

Without a doubt it will be the biggest deal of all and the numbers should be huge. Our aim is to establish El Cartel as not just another tequila but part of the club and party lifestyle. There are several songs where I mention the brand name and a lot of these party songs go hand in hand with the concept of Cartel Tequila. I have a track called “Lose Control,” for example. It’s the only song 100% in English and it’s an exclusive iTunes track. But the physical album is entirely in Spanish because that’s what the fans were requesting: A 100% urban album, 100% in Spanish.

Daddy Yankee Q&A: ‘Our New Street Is the Internet’
BY LEILA COBO, MIAMI
AUGUST 31, 2012 | 4:00PM EDT

It’s the tequila that has already won triple gold medals and is quickly being known as the hottest new brand in bottle service; all before the brand has even been launched!

Welcome to the El Cartel movement…

The movement has quickly risen thanks to Daddy Yan- kee’s three and a half million followers, and Jermaine Du- pri’s half million (not to mention all those he touches when he spins). That’s an awful lot of people paying attention to the bottle service equivalent of the indulgent, and at- tention grabbing, New Orleans dessert creation, Bananas Foster. But social media is only one part of it the brand’s buzz; the groundswell of hype is found right at the tables in the hottest nightlife venues. Like this flambéed indulgence that draws the attention of every guest in a dining room as it goes by, El Cartel offers that same appeal. It’s highly visible and often found in the company of celebrities who have it on their table and, as a matter of course, create a desire because of it. Everyone else wants a bottle too. Un- fortunately for them prior to the official launch, and unlike the democratic dessert, grand tequila desire wasn’t enough to get your hands on a bottle of El Cartel. The hard cold truth was it didn’t brighten up your table unless it was gifted to you.

Leaving thousands clamoring for it. This is exactly what brand founder, Mark Scialdone, set out to do when he created this new tequila. He explains his strategic approach to building the brand’s reputation and case sales by capital- izing on the psyche that fuels bottle service and reveals the secrets behind the desire he’s seeded in the marketplace, “With this tequila we are trying to be about the P. Diddys of the world. Ciroc brought this brand to the streets through the clubs and that’s what we’re going for; we’re building a movement and a lifestyle. It’s exactly what P. Diddy did with Ciroc. When he launched it nobody needed another vodka. But they believed in him; they knew this (Ciroc) is a statement. When you go to a club for bottle service you order Grey Goose. Order Stoli or something else and you’re not being the guy in bottle service you want to be. If you order tequila in bottle service all you really have [as an option] is Patron. Now you’ll be hearing people say ‘we want the stuff with the gold floating in it.’ Why? Because for them it represents an echelon of class.”

It’s the aspiration of joining that class that celebri- ties revolve in which draws people’s attention to El Cartel. Scialdone’s partner Mike Hamod, the California hospitality entrepreneur who also proudly bears the title VP of Brand- ing and Marketing for the El Cartel brand, shares anecdotes about being out and about, “When this bottle comes out to a table at the club everybody is looking at this bottle they’ve never seen before. Then they see the people at the table and who is associated with it. Then they start researching what it is. We’re reaching the consumer without even sell- ing it, before it even hits the shelf. The idea [behind where we’re going with this] is that we built the excitement so that when we launched the brand the excitement will only get bigger become a movement.”

He continues, “The Hollywood scene is ready for it. They’ve seen it; on the table in front of celebrities, trend- setters, and Hollywood socialites, and this is why this area is ready for it. It’s highly anticipated. Now we’re ready to unleash.”

El Cartel was unleashed on a demanding public with a triple gold medal (from FlowDe- sign’s MicroLiquor Spirits awards) already in hand. El Cartel’s guerilla marketing and the street grinding is all organic; coming from the people to the people. Scialdone notes what sets El Cartel apart from other brands is just that. He says, “It’s this grass root movement. No one has this much excitement.” To the brands that are spending millions on tradi- tional advertising to keep up their spirit’s ap- peal he cautions, “You may have an army, but we’ve got ground soldiers hiding in dark cor- ners with baseball bats ready to strike when you’re not paying attention.”
These dedicated soldiers fall into forma- tion in thanks to their exposure to the clubs, movies, music videos, magazines – all those integrated media elements that really reso- nate as touch points that drive sales. Hamod comments, “That’s how the hype is going to be created and people will try it and then the quality will back the movement and sales will continue to grow month after month.”
Taking the approach of building the buzz first El Cartel can cut through the clutter of spirits competing for attention and market share. Delivering the quality message is an effective way to set them apart while quick- ly garnering loyal followers, not just fickle drinkers who like to jump on the “hot and cool newest thing” bandwagon but are simply looking for the next shiny object that draws their attention.
With this unbeatable combination El Cartel redefines the ultra premium tequila category to become the luxury spirit of choice
for true tequila enthusiasts who are reacting to something visceral. Hamod explains, “The true meaning and essence of the word cartel – a movement, alliance, trust, and unity – that is what people are reacting to the most.”
El Cartel is jumping
straight to the heart of consumers, letting that desire for the spirit they’ve spotted at the club bubble up and create a demand.
Hamod’s experience running thriving clubs makes him uniquely able to convert that positive on-premise reaction into a high volume of off-premise sales. Hands-on mar- ket research proves that getting the right product in front of the right people and keep- ing it there for the long haul is as much about what the product says about the consumer as what the product does for the consumer. He notes, “What is going to get people to try the new spirit, buy the new spirit and make the switch to the new spirit is all about how big the movement is and who is adopting the movement. That’s what nightlife provides. It’s about a trend and what’s cool.”
LMFAO’s Redfoo partying with EL Cartel Tequila
Unlike many small spirit companies that start out courting elite cocktail bar bartend- ers El Cartel is jumping straight to the heart of consumers, letting that desire for the spirit they’ve spotted at the club bubble up and cre- ate a demand. And sales. Hamod explains, “We could follow the path that others take and go with the [industry] tastemakers who adopt it. But that will take the longest time in terms of the mass moving of cases. How- ever if you attack the masses first and the masses do the work for you it’s going to force those [industry tastemakers] to pay attention. At the end of the day we will be able to push the brand in to a venue because their con- sumers demand it.”
Satisfying demanding accounts is as im- portant to the brand as satisfying customers. While many bars and retailers complain that brands turn their backs on those that give the brand a start El Cartel’s approach is ex- actly the opposite. Marketing dollars are be- ing spent on the people who are putting the brand out there for the consumer to see- the DJs, influencers, party animals, and the ven- ues. With a network of DJs all over the US who are drinking El Cartel and talking it up on the microphone El Cartel is being hyped up in 20 different cities every night.
That hype will drive accounts to say ‘I need it in my store, I need it in my nightclub’ because they’ll be reacting to the consumer asking for this cool new product that offers a stand out heritage. Crafted using only the finest hand selected hearts of 100% Weber Blue Agave that have matured for at least nine years, the piñas are then slow cooked

in brick ovens and distilled via age-old tra- ditions at Mexico’s Finos de Agave S.A. dis- tillery. The quality, combined with pricing structure, is sure to impact the industry with its competitive price point and its ability to compete on flavor and a visual presence al- lows El Cartel to secure immediate shelf pres- ence and marketing allure before the excep- tional quality of the juice is experienced.
Scialdone expects the industry’s buyers to embrace this because of its flavor. He knows their tequila loving customers will embrace the 100% agave spirit featuring 23 karat gold flakes that are suspended in the liquid thanks to a unique patented suspension matrix that doesn’t disturb the texture or flavor of the te- quila. El Cartel is extra hip thanks to this extra design element that offers brand ap- peal on any shelf and the kind of bottle you’d want approaching your bottle service table surrounded by sparklers.
Shining a spotlight on bottle service is an effective way of getting people to try a brand. But getting them to buy it again and again is another story. The El Cartel story is resonat- ing with consumers saying, ‘‘’Awesome. It’s the nicest bottle I’ve seen, there’s gold in it, there’s celebrity associated with it and wow, it tastes good.’”
That response is the icing on the cake for a brand that offers both the show compo- nent and the great taste component that is truly a something-for-every-taste component. Scialdone, who is proud to offer tequila that stays in the barrels a little longer, thereby avoiding the anticipated burn, realizes that just being smooth (a vodka category buzz word) doesn’t entirely define what El Car- tel brings to tequila lovers and new tequila adopters. Definitely it tastes a little different than anything out there, and that was the key. The quality and origin of the tequila is the most important component. The best agave sourced from Jalisco’s highest reaches is turned into El Cartel’s Silver – the gold flaked expression with a sweet agave and vanilla fla- vor that’s smooth yet complex thanks to its triple distillation and the El Cartel Blanco which is twice distilled and gives up the hint of agave with undertones of light pepper and citrus. An Ultra Anejo will be out 90-120 days after the debut of the Silver. But first, the nationwide rollout of the Silver (suggest- ed retail $49-59) and Blanco (suggested retail $29-39) begins in El Cartel’s key markets of California, Colorado, Florida, Missouri, New York and Texas.
The brand is excited to introduce an elite quality product as tequila consump- tion and appreciation is on the rise. Hamod comments, “We have something great for the nightlife as well as something great for the agave drinker who wants a smooth sweet agave taste; they can take shots, mix with their favorite mixer or enjoy sipping neat. That was the reasoning behind it. We knew it could be a very cool spirit, but it’s a great spirit; and, at the end of the day that’s what we’re representing – country of origin. We don’t want people to forget that it’s a great tequila.”

What El Cartel does want people to re- member is that it is the coolest in the club, best tasting in the bar, hippest at the hotel, the one to showcase in their home and the bottle they should always be reaching for at the liquor store. In their confidence that the brand is up for the challenge you could say that El Cartel knows that it is something not to be ignored.

By Francine Cohen

El Cartel Tequila is a new and exciting tequila brand on the market that is showing up everywhere. From the 2012 London Olympic Games to BET Awards Celebrations, El Cartel Tequila is hot, and definitely making a name for itself. They are even the official sponsor of Latin music superstar Daddy Yankee. The folks at El Cartel are definitely making a buzz and we were curious to find out what exactly makes their tequila so special.

El Cartel Tequila has a goal: to completely redefine ultra premium Tequila. They want to be known as “The Most Luxurious, Ultra Premium Tequila For The True Tequila Enthusiast”. El Cartel is crafted using only the the finest Blue Agave hearts that have been aged at a minimum of nine years. After slow cooking the pinas in brick ovens, and distilling them in age old tradition, the ultimate luxury tequila is born.

What makes El Cartel unique? Gold. That’s right, El Cartel is known for the suspended, patented edible gold flakes inside it’s Tequila. The gold flakes not only make the tequila deliciously smooth, but also alluring, and a great fashion statement! El Cartel is the first liquor to incorporate gold flakes that float in your glass, and not just sink to the bottom, making for an incredible drinking experience. The El Cartel tequila company also holds the patent for the gold suspending technology, making sure that theirs will be the only drink like this on the market.

If you are looking for something new, sexy, exciting and upscale for your next party, pick up a bottle of El Cartel Tequila. It’s golden. Guaranteed.

Brooke T. Cainkar

El Cartel Silver 100% Agave Tequila

Okay, it’s not a reposado, but we couldn’t resist including this new stunner while we’re on the subject of tequila. —Ed. Prepare to be wowed. While many brands have genuinely striking bottles, El Cartel Silver 100% Agave Tequila itself is absolutely riveting—legitimately a work of art. Its unique feature is the edible gold flakes floating in the tequila. Sure, you’ve seen other spirits and liqueurs that contained gold flakes, but in each case the flakes quickly settle on the bottom of the bottle. Not so with El Cartel. Its flakes literally defy gravity and stay suspended motionless in the tequila. The makers say the effect is achieved through a secret proprietary process. The result is hypnotic.

The Highland tequila is crafted at Productos Finos de Agave (NOM1416) in Jesús María, Jalisco. After harvesting, the agavesare baked in brick ovens and slowly fermented using natural, airborne yeast. The fermented wash—called aguamiel—is then triple-distilled in pot stills and then rested in stainless steel vats to allow its constituent flavors to become better integrated. The silver tequila is then slow-filtered before being bottled at 40% alcohol by volume (80 proof). Fortunately El Cartel Silver has more than good looks going for it. The tequila has a lightweight, oily textured body and an enticing floral bouquet with spicy cinnamon notes. It has a smooth entry that quickly fills the mouth with warm spicy flavors that slowly fade into a silky finish. As for the gold flakes, you can’t perceive them on your tongue. Other expressions…

The brand also markets El Cartel Blanco 100% Agave Tequila, which is characteristically similar to the Silver version, yet different. Aside from not containing gold flakes, it is double-distilled, which produces a slightly fuller bodied spirit. The crystal clear tequila is an aromatic and delightfully spicy tequila. El Cartel Holdings.

September 2012 / The Tasting Panel / 95

Rappers have taught us a lot over the years. Like when it gets hot inside the club, by all means, take off all your clothes. Or that if you start making good money, get ready for a significant increase in problems. More than anything, rappers teach us how to get tipsy in the most luxurious way. (Well, except for Lil Wayne, whose penchant for cough syrup and soda may have led to an increase in Robitussin sales and calls to poison control.)

Mark Scialdone is hoping to break into that world of glamorous alcohol consumption with the creation of Cartel Tequila, a thrice-distilled tequila made from 100-percent blue agave that has flecks of gold or silver in its intoxicating waters.

“It’s the ultimate baller drink,” says Scialdone, a former venture capitalist who decided to take a shot at the tequila industry after buying the patent for suspending objects in drinks.* “It needs to be in rap songs and videos. Luckily, a lot of words rhyme with ‘cartel.’”

Unlike those in Goldschlager—that other alcohol that has gold flecks on its list of ingredients—Cartel’s fine metals float instead of sinking to the bottom of the glass, which, if you ask Scialdone, makes his drink infinitely more fabulous.

Scialdone believes Cartel Tequila fills a void in the upscale drink world because it has “allure” and “sexiness.” Sure, you can order a bottle of Cristal and look pretty pimp, but there’s nothing quite like actual gold to get the gold diggers in a tizzy.

“There hasn’t been a new luxury tequila since Patrón. Nothing else has that status and image,” says Scialdone. “With a name like Cartel, we definitely keep it gangsta. And with its look, people are going to say ‘What is that?’ That’s what we want. It’s cool to order and cool to drink.”

Scialdone is planning to launch Cartel Tequila at liquor stores, bars and clubs in Florida and California within the next few months. (Retail price: $59 a bottle.) He’s already secured reggaeton sensation Daddy Yankee’s endorsement and thinks other Latino stars will love the drink since it appeals to their high-end lifestyle and culture.

If not, Scialdone wants to remind everyone of one little-known factoid.

“Did you know the hairstylist Paul Mitchell owns Patrón?” he says. “I mean, do you really want a hairstylist making your tequila?”

tequilacartel.com

—Alex Zaragoza