The Nobu Restaurant Empire Now Has Its Own Exclusive Celebrity-Backed Tequila

The Nobu brand is well-established in the realm of premium dining, with celebrity chef Nobu Matsuhisha’s empire extending to around 51 restaurants in cities like L.A., Las Vegas, Dubai and Sydney. In the past few years, the brand has also extended to luxury hotels and other ventures under the Nobu umbrella. Until now, however, Nobu hasn’t moved into the weather-worn category of celebrity-backed Tequilas.

Considering Nobu himself was recently seen in Dubai helping Kendall Jenner celebrate her own 818 Tequila, at the grand opening of Atlantis the Royal (yes, the hotel Beyonce performed at), it’s a bit of a surprise to see the celebrity chef announce his own agave spirit.

Created in partnership with Qui Tequila, a distillery based in Jalisco with claims on the world’s first cristalino extra añejo, Chef Nobu has released a 2008 vintage Nobu Rare Reserve. And it’ll be fairly hard to get your palate across a sip unless you’re dining at one of his many restaurants. There are, however, 1,500 bottles available for retail for US$500 (AU$758) from this month.

As with all these celebrity-backed spirits, it’s hard to tell where Nobu’s involvement starts and ends. Yet, with the man’s reputation for throwing money at nice things and making it work incredibly well for his restaurants, it’s hard not to at least be intrigued by Nobu Rare Reserve. Whether or not we’ll get it down here locally, at the Nobu restaurants in Sydney, Melbourne and Perth, remains to be seen, but I’d be surprised if Australia didn’t at least receive a few bottles.

Made from Blue Weber harvested across 2007 and 2008, Nobu Rare Reserve is an extra anejo tequila that’s been aged in American oak whiskey barrels and rested in a stainless steel vat before bottling. Official tasting notes call out the sweet oak, toasted almond and maple notes that dance around the palate, coupled with a nose of wood, tobacco, caramel and vanilla.