b'C o m m u n i t yOil Man Who Changed Boat Building Brings His Innovation to the Liquor IndustryCorpus Christi native John Hearn made his name,Aged, and Rested, its own flavor tones, from cit-and his fortune, in the oil and gas drilling industry asrus to earthiness.founder of Lara Energy, and later Zaza Energy, oneAnimprovedalternativetotraditional,andeven of the earliest successful producers in the Eagle-Fordmodern fads in tequila and mezcal, which are prod-Shale play, a company that went public. Hearn ap- ucts wholly made in Mexico, the new Tezcal genre plied his business acumen and innovative approachcreated with Alta Vida is 100% aged, distilled and to design and manufacturing to Fat Cat Boatworksbottled in San Antonio, Texas. The choice that the and his passion for fishing on the Texas Gulf Coast.Hearn and partners, Lance Bradley, Preston Doug- founders made to infuse hemp into Alta Vida is a tru-lass, Todd Brooks, and Wes Simpson just launched aly innovative approach to setting their product apart new liquor brand that is an immediate innovation infrom any other in the space.the distilling industrythe birth of Tezcal and theThe U.S.-grown hemp that is used in Alta Vida con-first brand in the genre, Alta Vida. tains no CBD or THC, but instead is infused to spe-Thefounderseachappliedtheirexperienceandcialize the flavor of the liquor itself naturally and in business acumen, along with their high standards ofa way that no other ingredient can. The use of hemp excellence, to the Alta Vida project. Only the finestas an additive, rather than an alcohol replacement, ingredients and processes were acceptable. is unique to the liquor industry, and Alta Vida stands The shared passions of these hard-running Texans alone as the only wild agave-based spirit with hemp.hunting, fishing, and the great outdoors of Texas andAs a partnership that shares a love and appreciation Mexicoled to the creation of Alta Vida, a wild aga- for the natural world that gives us these amazing ve-based spirit customized with hemp infusion. Theplants, which are used in so many ways to improve first wild agave-based liquor in which hemp is add- our lives, the Alta Vida Tezcal team insisted that the ed to accent the spirits natural flavor, rather than re- long-termsustainabilityofwild-grownagavein placing alcohol with hemp, Alta Vida is an innovationMexico be funded, as part of the Alta Vida mission.in distilling that delivers a unique level of enjoyment. Withover40speciesofspirit-viable,wildagave Just as was his approach to creating Fat Cat Boat- growing free-range in the desserts of Mexico and works, Hearn and his partners founding principalsTexas, every batch of Alta Vida takes on its own, intri- Top/Left: Alta Vida Tezcal in three varieties, Rested, Matured for Alta Vida were quality and craftsmanship. Thiscately nuanced flavor. and Aged. Top/Right: Alta Vida Brand Manager and Partner, is a genuinely premium product, using wild-har- Wes Simpson. Middle: Wild-grown agave in Jalisco, Mexico, vestedagavefromJalisco,Mexico,asthebaseHearnsinnovationhasagainproducedanew,the main ingredient in Alta Vida Tezcal. Lower: Organically-product that is aged and crafted in Texasthenunique and higher level of product in a long-estab- grown American hemp, which is infused into Alta Vida to give custom infused with organically grown Americanlished industrythis time in the world of premiumeach variety its own, unique flavor.hemptogiveeachofthreevarieties,Matured,spirits, with Alta Vida Tezcal.60THE COASTAL BEND GUIDE TheCoastalBend.com'