In the eco-friendly city that Tempe has become, even the vodka has gone green.
Jaguar — a Detroit-based vodka brand gives a portion of its profits to preserving the rain forest — has begun selling in Tempe because it found the city and ASU campus to be a hotbed for the “go green” mentality it vehemently promotes.
Gerard Belli, a 35-year-old former fourth-grade teacher who is head of Jaguar’s national promotions effort, said the distribution in Tempe started like any other city, but at once he discovered the numerous environmental and conservation aspects of the area, he found Jaguar to be a perfect fit.
“Once I got here and saw the level of environmental awareness, I was like, ‘Hey man, we need to stay here,’” said Belli, who moved to the Valley six months ago. Belli’s brother Joe, who is Jaguar’s chief operating officer, agrees.
“Phoenix is a green city. The college is certainly an attraction because many college students are drawn to an environmentally-friendly product,” he said. “Tempe is also an attractive town for its diversity, attractive income levels and sustained growth.”
Both Belli brothers agree while marketing is always important, the success of Jaguar is a result of its ingredients and unique distillation process.
Jaguar uses the methods of distiller R. L. Seale, whose Barbados distillery slowly cooks a mash made from sugarcane.
“We use sugarcane, and cook it slow to make sure we don’t burn it. That’s what gives most vodka that harsh burning taste. They use potatoes or grains and cook it quickly at a high temperature and often burn the mash. … Think about it, which tastes better, sugarcane, or potatoes?” Gerard Belli said.
Jaguar vodka is environmentally aware from production to consumption, Gerard Belli said. The used mash is sold to ranchers as chew for livestock; the carbon dioxide, a bi-product of the distilling process, is rebottled and sold to soft drink manufacturers and 8 percent of the company’s profits are used to protect rainforests in Brazil, which is a large but endangered habitat for jaguars.
Through an organization called the RainTrust Foundation, Jaguar vodka has sponsored more than 2,000 acres of rainforest.
“Five dollars from every 12-pack goes directly to the Rain Trust Foundation,” Joe Belli said. “This translates very easily. Every shot or mixed drink saves 12 square feet of rainforest.”
As for quality, Macayo’s Depot Cantina bartender Mark Falvey said Jaguar is on the same level as Grey Goose or Kettle One.
“It’s definitely ultra-premium vodka. The purpose of vodka is not to taste it, and because it is triple-distilled, most of the impurities are taken out,” said Falvey, a 30-year-old inter-disciplinary studies senior.
In addition to Macayo’s, Jaguar vodka can be found in Tempe at Bashas’ grocery stores, Native New Yorker, and The Vine Tavern and Eatery.
Reach the reporter at jaking5@asu.edu.
