\u201cAbout four years ago my wife Mel told me to either put up or shut up \u2013 that was the green light for me,\u201d says Gilly, with a laugh.<\/p>\n
But how does one actually start a tequila brand? To do it properly, the way Gilly envisioned, he\u2019d need some help putting the wheels in motion.<\/p>\n
\u201c[The first step was to] see if there\u2019s anyone gullible enough to come on the journey with me, and I fortunately found some willing and able partners,\u201d Gilly explains.<\/p>\n
Those partners turned out to be his wife Mel, his long-time manager Stephen Atkinson, his best friend John Eastham, Dan Fitzgerald (founder of Fourth Wave Wine) and Eddie Brook from Cape Byron Distillery. Together, the group came to an agreement on the guiding principles of the El Arquero brand, from its origins to its composition.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere were a couple of non-negotiables,\u201d Gilly reveals. \u201cFirst, it had to be authentically produced in Mexico with traditional methods. I didn\u2019t want to grow agave here and do it here \u2013 I wanted to maintain that history and heritage. Second, it had to be additive-free.\u201d<\/p>\n
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El Arquero has partnered with Jalisco distillery Destiladora de Los Altos | Credit: image supplied<\/p>\n
Armed with the framework of a business model and a name, the crew journeyed to Mexico, with a mission to find a distiller who could help them realise their vision.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe found a consultant over in Jalisco, Guadalajara,\u201d says Gilly. \u201cThey teed up meetings with about eight distilleries. We told them our story. We learned their stories. After a tough elimination process \u2013 because all their juice tasted brilliant \u2013 we landed on one to partner with.\u201d<\/p>\n
Enter the Banuelos family, the operators behind Destiladora de Los Altos \u2013 a third-generation, small-batch distillery in Arandas boasting more than 50 years of highland tequila production. The family\u2019s proven record, deep respect for the land and meticulous distilling process made them the ideal collaborator.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey had no idea who I was \u2013 I was just Joe Blow turning up,\u201d recalls Gilly. \u201cI think what convinced them was just our genuine passion about what we were trying to achieve and aspiring to.<\/p>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cThey could see a desire to craft something authentically and traditionally, and uphold everything that their whole life revolves around.\u201d<\/p>\n With production underway, the team refined the El Arquero brand and what it stood for, honing in on a cultural commonality that would unite the twin origin points of the spirit.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was the sun,\u201d says Gilly. \u201cI\u2019ve spent my whole life chasing the sun, playing cricket, so it seemed like the perfect focal point. Outdoor lifestyles, beaches, fiestas, barbecues, and the reliance on the sun for farming. The bottle says \u2018People of the Sun\u2019 around the bottom.\u201d<\/p>\n El Arquero launched with two tequila varieties in its range \u2013 a blanco and a reposado (an a\u00f1ejo will be added to the range later this year). Both are crafted from 100 percent Blue Weber agave, the pi\u00f1as of which are harvested at peak ripeness before being slow-cooked for 72 hours \u2013 a process that converts starches to sugars \u2013 then crushed to extract the rich agave juice.<\/p>\n The juices then ferment in stainless steel, undergoing malolactic fermentation to soften acidity and preserve sweetness. El Arquero\u2019s blanco is an unaged expression that is lightly oak-rested, while the reposado is aged for five months in ex-American oak bourbon barrels.<\/p>\n Where the blanco is smooth and crisp with a bright herbaceous aroma, the reposado boasts a bold richness, with layers of vanilla and caramel. Neither drop features added sugars, flavours or colourings \u2013 both are perfect for mixing into cocktails, poured over ice or sipping neat. Like Gilly\u2019s own multi-tool skillset in the cricket arena, El Arquero is designed to be a versatile addition to the home bar cart.<\/p>\n \u201cI think people in the Australian market don\u2019t think of tequila as a sipping spirit, but premium tequilas can be sipped, they can be mixed, they can be shaken, stirred, whatever you want,\u201d says Gilly.<\/p>\n Since launch, El Arquero has been picked up by several national wholesalers. You can also expect to see the tequila appearing at independent bars, restaurants and boutique bottle shops across Queensland over the coming months.<\/p>\n After a decade of dreaming and planning, seeing El Arquero on shelves is still a pinch-me moment for Adam Gilchrist, who\u2019s been in his fair share of big-time situations. Though he\u2019s not putting himself in the way of pitch-scorching heaters, he\u2019s not forsaking his history of keeping entirely. These days, his mission is all about keeping the good times going.<\/p>\n \u201cEl Arquero means \u2018the keeper\u2019 in English, which is a subtle throw to my past, but we hope it\u2019s more about the keeper of the spirit \u2013 the keeper of good times,\u201d explains Gilly.<\/p>\n Click here<\/a> to find your nearest El Arquero stockist.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/TWE-El-Arquero-03.jpg\")
El Aquero currently boasts two tequilas in its range \u2013 a blanco and a reposado | Credit: James Frostick<\/p>\n