Toby Keith brings Mezcal To The Masses

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Authentic "Wild Shot" Spirit "Is All About The Worm"

(NASHVILLE, Tenn.) Singer, songwriter and entertainer Toby Keith has extended his brand beyond music in many ways, and his latest venture aims at creating an entirely new market segment. He is set to release Toby Keith's Wild Shot Mezcal, a handcrafted 100% green agave spirit, authentic in its Mexican heritage right down to the worm at the bottom of the bottle.

"I have always been fascinated with Mexico and the drink Mezcal," Keith says. "It is a part of my life. Mexico is a theme that runs through many of my songs, including my recent single 'Bullets In The Gun.' The tradition and history of Mezcal is magical to me, and dates back to 16th century warriors celebrating the defeat of their enemies."

Keith points out that the agave worm in every true bottle of Mezcal is not decoration. "It's not there for the look," he says. "It is there to be eaten. It is believed that the worm will bring wondrous experiences and every individual's will be different. There is a void in the market place in getting this drink to the average person, so it seemed natural for me to start a business selling Toby Keith Mezcal."

Wild Shot will be imported by Shaw-Ross, a leading importer and marketer of fine wines and spirits.

"Toby has the ability to create global awareness and our distributors have the ability to take that message to the market," says Vincent Viola, president of Shot And a Beer which has partnered with Keith for Wild Shot. "This partnership will create a new category for the spirits industry as there are virtually no Mezcal products on the market compared to the number of Tequila offerings."

This entirely original version of the storied beverage has been developed over the last 18 months. "Tequila is basically tasteless when compared to Mezcal, due in part to the fact that Mezcal is 'cooked' in a completely different manner," Viola says. "The heart of the green agave (pinas) are cooked over wood logs, lending a smoky flavor to the finished product. And lets not forget the worm. In each bottle we place an agave worm, which only lives in the plant itself. Folklore says when eaten, the worm acts as an aphrodisiac."

Viola also points out: "Toby Keith does not follow trends, he starts them, and Wild Shot is one of a kind, like the man himself."

And Toby has some advice for future customers: "You drink it like Tequila, but I think it goes down a lot smoother. It is something I believe is to be enjoyed."

Toby Keith is one of the most accomplished and celebrated musical forces of his era, having launched his career on the strength of his self-penned No. 1 smash "Should've Been A Cowboy." Almost 18 years later, he continues to write, sing, produce and release music that dominates the charts, with his latest album Bullets In The Gun debuting atop the all-genre Billboard Top 200. His tours have drawn more than one million fans for 10 consecutive years and he is again nominated for the Academy of Country Music's prestigious Entertainer of the Year award, an honor with which he has twice been bestowed.