Lunch with Mystique

I had lunch recently at Tres Agaves with Jean-Francois Bonnete, President/CEO of Mystique Brands. After 10 years working with cognac, he decided to branch out and become an importer and "brand builder."

What that means practically is that he picks brands he likes, buys the importation rights, and promotes the products. He's currently on the one-of-each plan. He has one pisco (Barsol), one cachaca (Fazenda Mae de Ouro), one scotch (Tomintoul), one absinthe (Versinthe), one tequila (Los Arango), and one cognac (Landy). There are some sure winners in there.

He seems to be running the indie record label of booze, signing his favorite small(ish) acts that the major labels ignore, and helping them to become the next big thing. Nice work, if you can get it.