Gate 11 Distillery is rebranding one of its newest drinks as the 5-year-old bar continues to add to its distilled spirits lineup and trophy box.
The tequila made at the distillery inside the Chattanooga Choo Choo has taken on the name “Salazar” with three drinks — Salazar Blanco, Salazar Reposado and Salazar Anejo. Bill Lee, the chemist-turned-distiller who opened Gate 11 in 2019, said his agave line, originally billed as G11 Once, is taking on the more Mexican name to better reflect its tequila brand.
“We’re making a tequila in every sense, except that we are making it here and not in the state of Jalisco, Mexico,” Lee said in a recent interview at the Gate 11 distillery and bar.
Last month, the Salazar Blanco Agave Spirit won a silver medal at the prestigious San Francisco World Spirits competition — one of the highest recognitions for an American-made tequila.