A new Atlanta-based tequila brand comes from third-generation agave farmers

Atlantan Omar Martinez was raised in the United States, the son of an immigrant who moved from Ixtlahuacán del Rio, Jalisco, in pursuit of the American dream. When his father left Mexico, he left a life of farming in favor of masonry. But his farmland, which had been in the family for years, was left in a state of disrepair. “I realized he was a little sad seeing his farms overgrown,” Martinez says. “I started [working] in agave to give my dad’s farm life.”

After a great deal of research and trial and error, plus numerous trips to Mexico the past decade, Martinez plotted a very special piece of land—one both of his grandfathers had farmed. It was approximately four years ago that he became an agavera (agave grower). He met Peter Kiley, Monday Night brewmaster and cofounder of Sneaky Spirits, which makes Sneaky Pete Spirits and Yacht Water, and together, they founded Pedro Furtivo Tequila. It’s an additive-free spirit made from Martinez’s fully matured agave azul Piñas grown in his father’s hometown. Available in Blanco and Reposado varieties, and soon Anejo, it’s meant to reflect the heritage of the tequila.

“We come from two totally different cultures and ways of life and came together under this shared vision,” Kiley explains. “We can give people a grade-A example of additive-free tequila without a crazy price tag because we own so much of the [production] steps.”

Courtesy of Pedro Furtivo

“Being a brewer and distiller, Peter knew a lot that I didn’t,” Martinez adds. “What kind of water, what kind of agave (highland or lowland)—those things make a difference in the tequila. My knowledge of the farms, the dirt it grew on, combined with Peter’s knowledge, puts a different spin on the tequila.”

Kiley worked in wine before launching Monday Night Brewing and Sneaky Pete’s, and felt his spirits lacked connection to the land. “I felt like an imposter, and nothing was working right. It felt so soulless,” he says. With Pedro Furtivo—which means Sneaky Pete in Spanish—he’s able to share Martinez’s story on every bottle.

Sold at bottle shops in Georgia and Tennessee, as well as Monday Night Brewing, Pedro Furtivo is just getting started. “I don’t want to go around manipulating flavors for the tequila yet—I want to make things the classic way before I put a spin on it,” Kiley says. “But we also want to have fun. We are a young brand with a lot of creative ideas and want to balance Old World with New World.”

His wife Rachel Kiley recently left her role as Monday Night Brewing chief operating officer to become CEO and cofounder of Sneaky Spirits, including Pedro Furtivo. (She’ll still serve as a strategic adviser for the brewery.) Now, she’s working on getting the tequila into local restaurants and bars and will host a pop-up at the Monday Night Garage at Lee + White. Starting August 23, they’ll serve cocktails made with Pedro Furtivo on Friday and Saturday (4 p.m. to 10 p.m.) and Sunday (noon to 6 p.m.) from the company truck in the courtyard. Drinks include a paloma, batanga, and margarita.

“We’re really proud of it,” Martinez says.

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