Lewis Hamilton, the seven-time Formula One champion and entrepreneur, has co-founded the world’s inaugural distilled non-alcoholic blue agave spirit called Almave. He co-founded the brand alongside agave expert and Casa Lumbre Co-Founder & Master Distiller Iván Saldaña.
According to this press release, while tequila has been Hamilton’s drink of choice, he wanted an alternative that allowed him to live a busy life without restraint.
However, he quickly noticed a gap in the market and decided to work with Mexican spirits innovator Casa Lumbre to create an authentic product that follows and respects the traditional process and craftsmanship of tequila in a non-alcoholic form.
Almave is the only non-alcoholic product to use the coveted Blue Agave. Similar to tequila, Almave is made from the same raw materials in the same part of Mexico but without the fermentation process where the liquid becomes alcohol.
“I’m excited to introduce people to Almave – it’s a project I’ve been working on for a long time with Casa Lumbre,” said Hamilton. “There’s a huge appetite for quality alternatives for those times when people don’t want to drink alcohol but also don’t want to compromise on flavour, which is why it was important that our product includes agave to reflect the taste of conventional tequila. I think it tastes amazing and what we have created is unlike anything else on the market, so I can’t wait to see what you all think.”
Hamilton is undoubtedly one of the biggest celebrities in Formula One in contemporary times. The British racing driver has won seven world championships and he looks set to achieve more laurels.
He first debuted in 2007 with McLaren. The following year, he declared his intention to the world after winning his first World Championship. Hamilton moved to Mercedes in 2013 and changed the fortunes of the team.
His success on the field means that he is also one of the top athletes who earn big worldwide. In 2018, he signed a two-year contract with Mercedes worth $100 million, giving him a base salary of $30 million annually and bonuses which reports said will see his total comp from Mercedes push to $50 million.