WhereIsAtlas · Spirits
Patrón Tequila
The premium tequila that turned a humble agave spirit into a luxury symbol — and was bought by Bacardi for $5.1 billion
Transformed — Patrón is a genuine, hugely successful premium tequila brand founded in 1989 by John Paul DeJoria and Martin Crowley. It became the symbol of luxury tequila and was acquired by Bacardi in 2018 for about $5.1 billion. It is not a fake or a scam — it is a real, verified brand.
Patrón Tequila is a premium tequila brand founded in 1989 in Jalisco, Mexico, by John Paul DeJoria and Martin Crowley. DeJoria was already a successful entrepreneur as co-founder of the hair-care company Paul Mitchell; he and Crowley set out to create a tequila that felt truly premium and luxurious — the kind of spirit you sipped in a sophisticated glass rather than knocked back.
The brand's distinctive hand-blown glass bottle and its positioning as a sipping tequila helped set it apart. Patrón became the symbol of premium tequila, and it grew into one of the most recognized and valuable luxury spirits brands in the world.
In 2018, the spirits giant Bacardi acquired Patrón for about $5.1 billion — one of the largest deals in the tequila business. The brand remains immensely popular and widely available. Rumors that Patrón (or other tequila brands) were fake or recalled have been debunked by fact-checkers: Patrón is a genuine, verified and successful brand, not a scam.
Quick facts
- Founded
- 1989, Jalisco, Mexico
- Founders
- John Paul DeJoria (Paul Mitchell co-founder) & Martin Crowley
- Signature
- The hand-blown glass bottle, premium sipping positioning
- Acquired by
- Bacardi, 2018 (≈ $5.1 billion)
- Is it a scam? No — a real, verified brand (debunked recall rumor)
- Today
- One of the most recognized luxury tequila brands
Lineage — where the name went
Two entrepreneurs who bought the rights to a Mexican spirit in 1989, the old distillery that first made it, and the rum giant that eventually bought the brand outright.
- 1989 — John Paul DeJoria founded Patrón (with Martin Crowley)
- 1989 — Martin Crowley founded Patrón (the co-founder whose estate later sold out)
- 1989 — St. Maarten Spirits acquired Patrón (bought the brand rights, with production at Casa 7 Leguas)
- 1989 — Casa 7 Leguas created Patrón (the original Patrón tequila)
- 2002 — Patrón created The Patrón distillery (production moved out of Casa 7 Leguas)
- 2000 — Ed Brown appointed Patrón (took over as chief executive)
- 2008 — Bacardi Limited created The 2008 transaction (a significant minority stake and one board seat)
- 2008 — The 2008 transaction was succeeded by Martin Crowley (the estate of the late Martin Crowley was paid out for its interest)
- 2008 — John Paul DeJoria created The 2008 transaction (became principal owner of the parent company)
- 2018 — Bacardi Limited acquired Patrón (the $5.1 billion purchase)
- The 2008 transaction was ancestor of The 2018 sale (the minority position that preceded the full buyout)
- 2018 — The 2018 sale was succeeded by Patrón (the brand passed into Bacardi's portfolio)
Entities in this tree: Patrón (brand, 1989); St. Maarten Spirits (company); John Paul DeJoria (person); Martin Crowley (person); Casa 7 Leguas (company); The Patrón distillery (place, 2002); Ed Brown (person); Bacardi Limited (company, 2008); The 2008 transaction (event, 2008); The 2018 sale (event, 2018)
Sources
- Who started Patrón? — Patrón Tequila (2026-09-05)
- Bacardi buys Patrón Tequila in $5.1 billion deal — The Drinks Business (2026-09-05)
- No evidence popular tequila brands recalled — PolitiFact (2026-09-05)
- Patrón - Wikipedia — Wikipedia (2026-09-20)
- John Paul DeJoria to become principal owner of Patrón tequila; Bacardi to buy minority interest — Bacardi Limited (2026-09-20)