Most people think sake or beer pairs well with Japanese cuisine, sushi and sashimi, however at NOBU Restaurants, they believe QUI Tequila is an ideal pairing. When the NOBU team met entrepreneurs and QUI co-founders Medhat Ibrahim (Owner and co-founder of Casa la Femme), Mike Keriakos (Co-founder of Everyday Health, Inc.) and Pete Girgis (President of QUI) their premium tequila soon became the core spirit served at all NOBU Restaurants worldwide.

While sipping QUI poured into a low ball glass with an extra large ice cube, I met Girgis and Ibrahim during a sit-down dinner at NOBU Malibu. One of the restaurant’s mixologists, Zander, makes one of NOBU’S award winning cocktails named “Taste of Jalisco.” It’s slightly sweet, slightly sour and very pretty in presentation. Girgis shared that QUI is named from the heart of the word TE-QUI-LA. They take a blue agave and discard the heads and tails and use the juice of the heart.

“QUI is made in small batches in the highlands of Jalisco, Mexico,” said Girgis. The heart is distilled, filtered and redistilled to create the world’s first platinum extra-añejo tequila. “It’s aged for three and a half years in hand-selected American Whiskey and French Bordeaux barrels,” said Ibrahim. “This gives QUI the rare and highly coveted designation, as well as hazelnut, vanilla, and butterscotch characteristics.”

Sipping another Nobu cocktail named “Mayonaka Sour,” I learned this drink won the nationwide Nobu Cocktail Competition. It was the creation by mixologist Lanee Kelley from Nobu Newport Beach. Besides QUI tequila, there is creme de casis, lemon juice, organic egg whites and housemade black sesame orgeat sprinkled on top. It’s visually beautiful and slightly sweet.

QUI has been awarded the Gold Medal in the Spirits of the Americas competition as the finest extra añejo judged and is named by the Wall Street Journal as one of the “Five Best Bottles to Buy Now.”

Besides being the core spirit at all NOBU Restaurants, QUI can be sipped at other fine bars, restaurants, hotels and stores in California including Chateau Marmont, Montage Beverly Hills and BevMo. QUI is also available in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Illinois and  Texas.