BRENT HOCKING:
Visionary Spirits Creator | Five-Time Robb Report ‘Best of the Best’ Award Winner
Brent Hocking is a globally acclaimed entrepreneur known for revolutionizing the luxury spirits landscape with an unwavering commitment to purity, provenance, and precision. With a rare talent for identifying market gaps and turning them into icons, Hocking has built a legacy portfolio of ultra-premium, culture-shifting brands—from revolutionary tequilas and Bourbon whiskies to world-class champagnes and beyond.
Hocking’s journey began in 2008 with the creation of the original DeLéon Tequila. At a time when tequila was largely viewed as a party drink, Hocking reimagined it as an ultra-premium sipping spirit designed for refined palates. Rejecting the use of artificial coloring, flavoring, or additives; Hocking instead opted for natural barrel ageing in French Sauternes casks from the most iconic producers in France. His meticulous sourcing of Blue Weber agave and obsessive attention to production details created a tequila unlike anything other—elevated, authentic, and uncompromising. DeLéon Tequila set the industry standard for for purity, craftsmanship, and taste.
DeLéon went on to earn Robb Report’s Best of the Best ‘Spirit of the Year’ three consecutive years (2010–2012) and was crowned Back-to-Back Grand Champion at the World Beverage Competition in Geneva, Switzerland—an unprecedented achievement. DeLéon was acquired by Diageo PLC in 2013, just four years after its launch, in a landmark deal that helped reshape the perception of tequila globally.
In 2016, Hocking broke convention again with Virginia Black Whiskey, a decadent American bourbon created in partnership with global musical artist Drake. The brand debuted to global sell-outs and a 91-point rating from Wine Enthusiast, swiftly becoming one of the most talked-about whiskeys of the decade. Its widespread acclaim cemented Hocking’s reputation as a brand-building powerhouse who delivers both substance and story.
In 2019, he introduced Mod Sélection Champagne, a brand defined by its ultra-refined production, expression of terroir, and rare cuvées. Crafted using time-honored methods in Champagne’s most prestigious crus, Mod Sélection launched with a curated lineup spanning from non-vintage to rare vintage Rosé de Saignée and estate-grown tête de cuvée bottlings. Critics including Anthony Dias Blue and James Suckling awarded Mod Sélection 98 and 97 points, respectively, for its structure and finesse.
The brand earned Robb Report’s ‘Champagne of the Year’ in both 2019 and 2020—making Hocking the only individual in the publication’s 40-year history to receive five Best of the Best awards across multiple categories.
Never content to follow, Hocking remains at the vanguard of luxury innovation. In 2025, he quietly unveiled Tequila Purisima, a pure, additive-free blanco tequila crafted in the highlands of Guanajuato, Mexico in the town of Purisima del Rincon. Distilled using estate-grown Blue Weber agave and water drawn from its own land with 400-meter spring wells—independently tested among the purest in the country—Purisima is a study in clarity, restraint, and masterful technique. It has already set a new bar for unprecedented excellence in the category. Available exclusively by private allocation, Purisima is not sold in stores and is shared only by request.
Hocking’s latest creation, Brown Sugar Café Mexicana, is a seductive, coffee-forward tequila in a new category rooted in Mexican tradition and reimagined for modern luxury. Rich, balanced, and indulgently drinkable, Brown Sugar Café Mexicana continues Hocking’s tradition of elevating through meticulous sourcing and world-class design.
Brent Hocking’s career is marked by visionary innovation, iconic product creation, and a deep respect for craft. His work has been recognized with the International M&A Consumer Products Deal of the Year, and he is a sought-after voice across global business media, including Bloomberg, CNN Money, Fox Business, Yahoo Finance, The Daily Ticker, Forbes, Fortune, and Business Insider.
A relentless innovator, Hocking’s influence spans culture, commerce, and craftsmanship. His creations are never mass produced, never mass marketed—and never mistaken for anything but extraordinary.
With the launch of his latest creations—Tequila Purisima and Brown Sugar Café Mexicana, Hocking has proven once again that true artistry doesn’t follow trends; it sets and defines them.
Each product release is a testament to his visionary leadership, disciplined refinement, and unrivaled commitment to craft. As recent press has noted, Brent Hocking isn’t just building brands—he’s shaping the future of luxury spirits.
