A Drink with Intention

“We do not drink to forget; we drink to remember” 

— Spotted on the wall of a bar in Antibes, France 

“We drink to remember.” That simple but meaningful sentiment is more than just a tagline for Davo, a new premium tequila from Santa Barbara entrepreneur Laura Kronen — it’s at the heart of the inspiration for the entire venture. 

Losing her beloved husband Dave “Davo” Kronen in 2022, after a long illness, Laura spent some time traveling and trying to figure out her next chapter of life. She and Dave had traveled together many times over their more than 30 years together, including multiple trips to Mexico, where they enjoyed a “not-too-sweet” almond-flavored tequila that they had never been able to find in the states. 

She soon became determined to create her own version, reading books, doing tons of research and experimentation, and touring distilleries in Mexico, because similarly to Champagne in France, Tequila can only be produced in Mexico. She spent an intense week in Guadalajara, visiting 13 distilleries, bottle shops, and others involved in the business. 

“That strong urge to do something different really just kept me out of my comfort zone,” Laura confessed to me over a recent lunch. 

“I really fell in love with the people down there, especially the distillery that I’m at,” said Laura of working with Hacienda Capellanía, NOM 1545, Master Distillers – The Dávalos Brothers. “I just fell in love with the quality of the tequila and the people, multi-generational people, they’ve been in the business for so long and they really welcomed us into their, kind of their, home. It was fabulous.”

That welcoming, kind spirit of hospitality at the hacienda resonated deeply with Laura, as she and Dave are well known for making their Hope Ranch home into a gathering place for countless friends and family. As his health declined, “Thirsty Thursday” gatherings in his backyard with childhood friends — many of whom were his cofounding members of the nonprofit Friendship Paddle — became the norm.

In addition to the hospitality and name similarity, there were other connections that made the match feel fated to Laura. The Dávalos brothers grew up on that farm and their father, David, passed away at the same time Dave Kronen did. “The distillery is situated around 300 acres of agave fields and fruit orchards, and they do the fermentation, which really brings in all that wild yeast from the citrus and that gives it the character, the flavor, the tequila, and they can cook it different ways,” Laura explained. Eventually they developed a unique, natural open air fermentation process and the fruit orchards on the estate and notes of the citrus, avocado, apple, peach, and guava trees that are cultivated near the agave fields, and the distillery also plays a role.

In addition to the brand’s flagship Davo Tequila Añejo with Natural Almond, which initially inspired Laura’s quest, the handcrafted small batch offerings launched in September with three other flavors: Davo Blanco, Davo Reposado, and Davo Extra Añejo. 

I found all of them to be smooth, delicious, and perfect for sipping. My personal favorite, the Extra Añejo ($175), resembles a fine whiskey, with woodsy chocolatey notes and a hint of cigars. The Almond Añejo ($125) is unique with a silky texture and light notes of citrus, as well as almonds. The Reposado ($75) is quite fruity with hints of banana, apple, and pear. And the Davo Blanco Tequila ($50) — which already won a gold medal at the San Diego Spirits Competition (and it was just released this September) — has some nice subtle hints of lemon and vanilla, making it ideal for both sipping and mixing in cocktails. (The website has some interesting recipes for each Davo bottle.)

In Santa Barbara, you can find Davo at Mesa Liquor, Talevi’s, Corner Tap Bar & Eatery, The Cliff Room, La Cumbre Country Club, Harry’s Plaza Café, and Liquor & Wine Grotto in Montecito. Davo Tequila is also available for mail order in California. See davotequila.com for more details.