Don Julio has released a limited-edition version of its popular Don Julio 1942 to celebrate the FIFA World Cup 2026, and the emphasis, at least at first glance, is very much on appearance.
The bottle is striking in a way that feels deliberately so. Gold, highly polished, clearly intended to echo the World Cup trophy, with a dark green, almost jewel-like closure that adds a welcome note of contrast. It’s the sort of object that will attract attention across a crowded room, though one does wonder how many will actually open it.
That question — display or drink — tends to hover over such releases.
The liquid itself, I’m relieved to say, will remain unchanged. Don Julio has not changed its 1942 formula, which relies on 100% Blue Weber agave and sees at least two years in American white oak. This is great. The temptation to adjust style in line with a new presentation is pretty frequent in the spirits world, and rarely improves matters.
In the glass, it behaves exactly as expected. A soft, rounded nose with vanilla to the fore, followed by a gently sweet agave character that hasn’t been entirely subsumed by oak. There’s a slight caramelised edge, perhaps from the cask influence, but it stops short of heaviness.
On the palate, it’s smooth — though that word is often overused — and here it refers more to texture than to any lack of definition. The alcohol is well integrated. Nothing juts out. It moves evenly, without much tension, but also without clumsiness.
The finish is clean, if not especially long. Still, it’s balanced, and that counts for more.
One could argue that this is a style designed to please rather than provoke. That isn’t necessarily a criticism. There is a place for spirits that offer consistency and ease, particularly in celebratory contexts, which is clearly the intention here.
This is, apparently, only the second time Don Julio has ventured into this sort of limited-edition redesign, the first being its collaboration with Peggy Gou. The relative rarity will no doubt appeal to collectors, though whether they are collectors of tequila or of objects is another matter.
Alongside the bottle, there is a campaign — “Made to Be Raised” — accompanied by a short film directed by Leigh Powis. It features Thierry Henry, together with Tobin Heath and Christen Press, moving through scenes of a post-match celebration.
Henry, at one point, kisses the bottle, a gesture that will probably resonate with some fans more than others. The bigger ad campaign will extend across various media and host cities, with the usual mix of outdoor placements, digital presence, and televised moments.
This is all entirely in keeping with how major spirits brands now align themselves with global sporting events. The World Cup, after all, provides a ready-made stage.
What’s perhaps more interesting is how comfortably tequila now occupies this space. Not so long ago, it would have been an unlikely companion to such polished, international branding.
Here, at least, Tequila does its job competently. It is well made, balanced, and broadly appealing. One might wish for a little more complexity, perhaps a touch more tension between agave and oak, but that would risk unsettling the style that has made it so popular.
So it remains what it has long been: a reliable, polished tequila, now dressed for a rather large occasion.
