When Sam Heughan and his business partner Alex Norouzi were bringing their dream for the Sassenach range of drinks to life, they also wanted to celebrate kindred spirits who were demonstrating the same level of dedication and craftmanship in their own worlds.

That led to the Sassenach Select Concept, where Sam and Alex shine a light on other spirits producers who are creating exceptional drinks in different categories – such as with The Sassenach Select El Tequileño Tequila, in collaboration with master distiller Antonio Salles in Mexico.

The founding philosophy behind the Sassenach Select Concept is that fellow creators share the same commitment and integrity in what they do and passion in how they achieve their goals.

Look out for further collaborations from the Sassenach Select Concept that celebrate Sam and Alex’s shared passion for bringing extraordinary spirits to the world.

The first offering from The Sassenach Select Concept is El Tequileño, an outstanding double wood reposado tequila from the third generation Master Distiller, Antonio Salles in Tequila, Mexico.

Sam saw a kindred spirit in Antonio, who demonstrates the same respect for tequila’s heritage and tradition within Mexico as Sam wanted to bring to the world with The Sassenach whisky’s celebration of Scotland.

“Scottish and Mexican cultures have many similarities,” says Antonio. “Both have great pride in their countries, deep-rooted histories, and of course, a great passion for producing their national spirits! The process of creating this blend first began with us enjoying The Sassenach whisky and using that experience as the foundation to create a unique blend that encompasses the passion and heritage of our collaboration.”

The Sassenach Select El Tequileño is a small-batch, limited edition aged tequila, handcrafted using the finest matured agave from the Highlands of Jalisco and mineral-rich water from Volcán de Tequila. It was distilled in traditional copper pot stills, aged for two years in American oak barrels – a process known as ‘reposado’ – and finished for four months in French oak barrels. These attributes form the foundation of The Sassenach Select El Tequileño’s unique character and exceptional, unparalleled taste.

“Despite being from different continents, we share the same vision of craftsmanship and quality,” says Sam. “Blending our cultures and passion, we have created a partnership steeped in tradition, heritage, and a love of good tequila!”