“The whole idea was, I didn’t want it to be a gimmick. If I was going to do this it had to be a great tequila on its own. That was important. It is a really well made tequila,” said Greg Sobol, the founder of Tekiah Spirits, based in Michigan.
Tekiah is a double-gold award-winning tequila brand. Its reposado earned double-gold at the 2025 Agavos Awards. It is distilled and grown in Mexico from estate-grown agave. Tekiah created its first inventory in January, 2025. They produced 5,000 bottles within their first year that were kosher-certified. The Hebrew word, Tekiah, is a long blast of the shofar, the ceremonial horn heard during Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year.
Sobol said, “It has won some huge awards. I did blanco and reposado, because they only took four months. This late January the anejo came into the lineout, so I was able to get that out for everyone to try.”
Sobol grew up in West Bloomfield, but maintains his roots to his Jewish Mexican background. He has a passion for drumming and creating totally authentic tequila that is additive-free.
Sobol said, “I am still a small brand. Your body feels better, tequila is naturally the lowest levels of sugar of any alcohol, your body processes it better, it is gluten free, it is just cleaner. And I would feel that difference.”
This spirit is a craft tequila that is premium and kosher. Sobol explains how he took the extra step to make sure it was up to a high standard. The blanco is very neutral with mineral, pepper, citrus and floral notes. Some food pairings that are great for blancos, is a green grape or dried apricots. Something nice and clean is what Sobol explains brings the best flavors out of the tequila.
“People always go for a lime for tequila, but a lime is kind of overpowering, it can be almost bitter. If you have fresh fruit, like fresh orange, it completes the natural profile better and brings out those flavors more than the lime,” said Sobol.
For the reposado tequila, Sobol explains that you can get away with a more savory pairing, such as a light cheese or even dark chocolate. Sobol said that the anejo offers warmer notes of toasted oak, butterscotch, toffee and bourbon. It is a great sipping tequila, full of complex flavors. These types of aged tequilas are great as an after-dinner sipping liquor on ice, perhaps with dessert to bring out the sweetness. The reposado is aged for four-months in whiskey barrels and the anejo is aged for 17-months.
“It brings people together, and I want something that is going to be used for positive unification. People can use it as a device to have more community and dialogue. People let their guard down and you can really enjoy each other's company,” said Sobol.
One of Sobol’s most meaningful reactions to the brand happened when he arrived at an event honoring a rabbi, carrying several bottles of Tekiah.
“When I walked up to his bar, it was only staked with Tekiah tequila! I didn’t know that. It was amazing. I was like ‘how unbelievable’. When people tell me how much it means to them and how beautiful the design is, I feel like that is awesome. It feels like complete validation.”
Tekiah represents a much larger community than Sobol initially thought. He said he has always taken it slow, and even though it is an expensive venture, he sources everything himself. The agave is grown in Mexico, in his hometown of Jalisco, connecting him to his mother’s roots in Mexico. Furthering the brand now, it is a matter of partnering with a larger distributor.
“I have done events in Los Angeles and Miami and New York, and people respond like crazy. I consider those major leagues and Michigan to be minor leagues. Just like in sports, you have to train in the minor league before you get to the major league anyways.”
Tekiah is the first Jewish tequila brand, prioritizing being authentic and truthful. The label tells a story, crossing religious and spiritual borders. Sobol states that it represents oversight, intentionality and respect for the traditions of the community the brand serves. Sobol explains that any cocktail works well, such as a Manhattan and Old Fashioneds, and of course, margaritas.
“This became a niche. This is such a unique thing that no one has ever done before, and I was so surprised it wasn't,” said Sobol, “Life is meant to be celebrated together, that is what Tekiah is really about.”
“It brings people together...something that is going to be used for positive unification."