Bacardi Acquires ILEGAL Mezcal – a Leading Artisanal Mezcal Brand in the U.S.
11.9.2023 15:30:00 EEST | Business Wire | Press release
Bacardi Limited, the largest privately held international spirits company in the world, announced today the completion of a transaction that makes the family-owned company the sole owner of ILEGAL Mezcal®, a leading super premium artisanal mezcal.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230911109816/en/
Bacardi Acquires ILEGAL Mezcal, a Leading Artisanal Mezcal Brand in the U.S. (Photo: Business Wire)
The transaction follows a successful relationship in which Bacardi partnered with ILEGAL since 2015.
The super premium plus mezcal category is growing at a fast pace and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 16% over the next five years according to IWSR. Between now and 2027, the agave category – which includes both mezcal and tequila – is expected to be the sixth largest category globally, and it recently overtook American Whiskey to become the second largest category (by value) in the U.S. At 86% of global market share, the United States dominates the super premium mezcal category. (Source: 2022 IWSR).
“We believe that ILEGAL has the credentials to own and lead the super premium mezcal category at a global level. ILEGAL perfectly complements our portfolio and bringing it into our business sets the brand up for even greater growth as mezcal captivates more and more consumers,” says Barry Kabalkin, Vice Chairman of Bacardi Limited.
“Bacardi and ILEGAL have a shared commitment to communities, quality, and environmental sustainability that we will build upon together as we look to invest for the long term. As a family-owned business for seven generations, we are always building for the future to maintain the legacy that is Bacardi,” says Mahesh Madhavan, Bacardi Limited Chief Executive Officer.
ILEGAL, recognized globally for its lifestyle branding, also prides itself on being a responsible and sustainable business. They work with fourth-generation maestros mezcaleros in Santiago Matatlán, Oaxaca, Mexico. ILEGAL Mezcal is double distilled in small batches using 100% Espadin agave. ILEGAL Mezcal is 100% natural and uses no artificial colors, yeasts, flavors, or additives. It is certified as artisanal mezcal by the Consejo Regulador del Mezcal (CRM).
John Rexer created ILEGAL in 2006, after years of working with small distillers in Oaxaca to make mezcal for his bar in Guatemala. John’s goal has been to bring the finest artisanal mezcal to a global market. He has worked closely with the distillers in Oaxaca to create sustainable jobs, and to be a positive force in protecting the environment and preserving local culture. John will continue to guide the vision of the brand.
“We are excited about the next stage of the journey,” says John Rexer. “Success for ILEGAL goes beyond seeing more of our bottles on shelves; it’s about building our business the right way. We will always be committed to artisanal production, the Oaxacan community, and our core values. Being a part of Bacardi will bring ILEGAL to a larger audience while maintaining our commitment to sustainability and growing the business responsibly.”
ILEGAL Mezcal is available in Joven, a full-bodied agave flavor with a light smoke; Reposado, aged six months in medium-charred American oak; and Añejo, aged to taste for 13 months using a combination of new and used American oak, medium char barrels.
Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
About Bacardi Limited
Bacardi Limited, the largest privately held international spirits company in the world, produces and markets internationally recognized spirits and wines. The Bacardi Limited brand portfolio comprises more than 200 brands and labels, including BACARDÍ® rum, GREY GOOSE® vodka, PATRÓN® tequila, DEWAR’S® Blended Scotch whisky, BOMBAY SAPPHIRE® gin, MARTINI® vermouth and sparkling wines, CAZADORES® 100% blue agave tequila, and other leading and emerging brands including WILLIAM LAWSON’S® Scotch whisky, ST-GERMAIN® elderflower liqueur, and ERISTOFF® vodka. Founded more than 161 years ago in Santiago de Cuba, family-owned Bacardi Limited currently employs approximately 9,000, operates production facilities in 10 countries, and sells its brands in more than 160 markets. Bacardi Limited refers to the Bacardi group of companies, including Bacardi International Limited. Visit www.bacardilimited.com or follow us on LinkedIn or Instagram.
About ILEGAL Mezcal
ILEGAL Mezcal was founded in 2006 and is today one of the leading artisanal mezcals in the world. ILEGAL Mezcal is sold in over 40 countries and has won numerous awards for both quality and branding. The brand has won countless awards including a Gold Honor Shorty Award for Brand Identity and was named Agave Spirit of 2022 by Bloomberg. The company prides itself on bringing to market fine aged mezcals as well as its joven expressions. ILEGAL is produced and bottled in Oaxaca, Mexico. The production is 100% artisanal, using ripe espadin agave, pit ovens, tahona mills, and small copper stills. Visit www.ilegalmezcal.com or Instagram.
To view this piece of content from cts.businesswire.com, please give your consent at the top of this page.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230911109816/en/
Contact information
Jessica Merz, VP Global Corporate Communications, jmerz@bacardi.com
About Business Wire
For more than 50 years, Business Wire has been the global leader in press release distribution and regulatory disclosure.
Subscribe to releases from Business Wire
Subscribe to all the latest releases from Business Wire by registering your e-mail address below. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Latest releases from Business Wire
Klarna Payments Now Available at B-Parts, Europe's Largest Automotive Parts Website30.3.2026 22:51:00 EEST | Press release
Klarna, the global digital bank and flexible payments provider, is joining forces with B-Parts, a leading online retailer of used and original car parts, to offer consumers greater flexibility, convenience, choice and control at the point of payments, with no interest or hidden fees. Through Klarna’s interest-free installment payments, B-Parts customers will benefit from greater flexibility and control over their finances. Klarna also ensures a secure shopping experience thanks to its buyer protection scheme, as well as a range of features such as cashback and deals. "We continue to grow locally, with an increasing number of brands across different sectors recognising the enormous advantage of offering their customers more payment options, those that make for a more convenient and seamless checkout experience," explains Inês Fiúza Marques, Country Manager of Klarna in Portugal. "It's fantastic to have B-Parts on board, and it shows just how broadly our solutions are being embraced." Ma
Office of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan Bin Ahmed Al Maktoum Holdings & Gatbits IT Infrastructure Announce Launch of GTBS Digital Ecosystem; Mainnet Set for April 202630.3.2026 21:30:00 EEST | Press release
The Office of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan Bin Ahmed Al Maktoum Holdings, in collaboration with Gatbits IT Infrastructure, has officially announced the launch of the GTBS Digital Ecosystem, marking a significant step forward in the global Web3 space. The announcement follows the successful launch of the native GTBS Coin on December 25, with the ecosystem’s mainnet scheduled to go live in April 2026. GTBS represents a full-stack Web3 ecosystem integrating blockchain, artificial intelligence, decentralized finance (DeFi), entertainment, gaming, media, and cloud infrastructure into a unified platform. Built on the philosophy of “All Commitment On Time,” the ecosystem focuses on delivering reliability, scalability, and real-world utility. Designed as a comprehensive digital infrastructure, GTBS goes beyond standalone crypto platforms by offering an integrated environment for users, developers, creators, and enterprises. Its proprietary Layer-1 blockchain powers seamless interaction across se
Yubico Appoints Poupak Modirassari Enbom as Chief Marketing Officer to Accelerate Global Momentum and Drive Market Leadership30.3.2026 16:00:00 EEST | Press release
Yubico (NASDAQ STOCKHOLM: YUBICO), the creator of the most secure passkeys and a leading provider of hardware authentication security keys, today announced the appointment of Poupak Enbom as Chief Marketing Officer (CMO). This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260330278027/en/ Enbom joins Yubico at a pivotal moment as organizations worldwide accelerate the shift to phishing-resistant authentication and modern identity security in the age of AI. “We’re excited to welcome Poupak to Yubico,” said Jerrod Chong, acting chief executive officer, Yubico. “As the threat landscape evolves with AI-driven attacks and increasing automation, organizations are rethinking how they secure digital identities of both humans and AI agents at scale. She brings a unique combination of technical depth, global leadership, and customer-first mindset that will help us continue to expand our impact and support our customers and partners around
HistoSonics Treats First Patients Evaluating the Edison® Histotripsy System for the Treatment of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH)30.3.2026 15:00:00 EEST | Press release
HistoSonics, the developer of the Edison® Histotripsy System and novel histotripsy therapy platform, today announced the successful treatments of the first patients in WOLVERINE, a prospective feasibility trial evaluating the Edison® Histotripsy System for the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) at Prince of Wales Hospital in Hong Kong, a teaching hospital for The Chinese University of Hong Kong. The Edison System is a novel, non-invasive, image guided platform that uses the mechanical properties of focused ultrasound, called histotripsy, to destroy unwanted tissue without the need for invasive procedures, and with potentially fewer side effects than traditional, invasive therapies. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260330349844/en/ HistoSonics Non-Invasive Edison Histotripsy System. Image credit: HistoSonics WOLVERINE is a prospective, multi-center, single-arm feasibility trial designed to evaluate
Westinghouse Celebrates Record-breaking 80 Years of Nuclear Fuel Manufacture at Springfields30.3.2026 15:00:00 EEST | Press release
The Westinghouse Springfields facility in Lancashire, UK, has marked a significant milestone as the oldest continuous nuclear fuel manufacturing site in the world, starting from its original license on the 28th, March 1946. The site was chosen by the UK Government to develop nuclear fuel for the world’s earliest civil nuclear power stations, as well as subsequent Magnox and Advanced Gas Reactors (AGR) reactors. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260330135973/en/ From left to right: Sophie Lemaire; Marc Chevrel; Rory O'Neill; Craig Boothby; and Robert Gofton, CEO at Nuclear Institute Across the last eight decades, the Springfields site has supported the UK nuclear fleet, manufacturing more than eight million AGR pins, sintering and pressing over 500 million AGR uranium pellets and 222,000 AGR grids – which is equivalent to burning over 685 tonnes of coal, avoiding the emission of nearly 3 billion tonnes of CO2. Sp
In our pressroom you can read all our latest releases, find our press contacts, images, documents and other relevant information about us.
Visit our pressroom