Why did you decide to introduce your new Tres Papalote Mezcal? “Because it’s an upcoming category. I saw that there was no face of mezcal. And I thought I could be the face of mezcal.”
Mezcal tends to be smoky. Do you like peaty Scotches or spicy rye whiskies? “No. I am kind of middle of the road there. I can’t drink Scotch at all because of a bad earlier experience when I was in high school when I drank a lot of Scotch in a very short period of time. It was not a good night.”
So, not too smoky? “If I want smoke, I’ll smoke!”
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Outside of mezcal, what do you like to drink? “I like bourbons and some vodkas. And I like tequila. One of my best friends is J.P. DeJoria, who [owns] Patrón. He’s been a friend for 40 years.”
Did you ever think about introducing a marijuana-infused alcohol? “I don’t find that’s a good idea. I don’t find that it works. People like the effects of one verses the effects of the other.”
How do you suggest someone enjoys them together? “Together, but separately consumed.”
Do you think your experience with weed helped you develop your brand? “Oh, yeah. You develop a nose and a palate.”
What has been your traditional cocktail of choice? “Tequila and tonic with a lemon twist. It was taught to me by Timothy Leary, my good friend. He came up with this blend and turned me on to it. And then I started turning everybody on to it. All the members of Green Day are buddies of mine. So I said, ‘Hey, you should try this drink.’ Then every night after their concert there was a little stand. And they call it the Cheech. And then it started to spread. People on the road, other bands. We had a Cheech over in Minnesota….”
When did Leary start drinking Tequila & Tonics? “[He] discovered them in Zihuatanejo. He was hanging out there. It was when he had first discovered magic mushrooms. We used to hang out a lot. You would have loved him. He was a psychedelic, Irish pub rabble-rouser. That’s what he was. He was the smartest guy I ever knew. He wrote 30 books and was in 25 prisons. I don’t know anybody with that résumé.”
Shots: appropriate? “This is America. You can do whatever you want. Shots are great. [But] I like sipping. I like cocktails.”
Do you have a favorite hangover cure? “I don’t have hangovers. I’m Mexican. I give hangovers.”
Have you ever played a bartender in a movie? “I played a bartender in Desperado for Robert Rodriguez. I told Robert, ‘In every one of your movies, I get killed. And as soon as I get killed, your movie is over. So you might want to kill me later in the movie.’ He started doing that.”
Do you keep a liquor cabinet when you are working on a movie? “No, I don’t. Dressing rooms are for sleeping. If anything, I have weed. I like drinking in specific situations, like before or after meals.”
What does your partner Tommy Chong like to drink? “He’s not a drinker at all. I’ve never seen him drink alcohol. Tons of weed, but not even a beer. He was a bodybuilder all his life. We were both health fanatics. We belonged to the YMCA. [When] you belong to one you belong to all of them. So we would go into Flint, Michigan, check into the Y, work out and go do the show. That’s the only way we survived. We used to do 300 shows a year for a long time.”
Find the Drinking Rules of other famous tipplers
Interview has been condensed and edited.
