Mexico Moves National Tequila Day to July 24: What the Industry Should Know

Mexico's Official Gazette (Diario Oficial de la Federación or DOF) on May 28, 2026, published a presidential decree declaring July 24 as the new National Day of Tequila (Día Nacional del Tequila), aligning it with the customary International Tequila Day. The decree, approved by Mexico's Congress on April 22, 2026, and signed by President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo, expressly abrogates the previous decree of May 29, 2018, which had designated the third Saturday of March as the annual celebration date.

The decree entered into force following its DOF publication on May 29, 2026.

In this alert, Holland & Knight's Alcohol Beverage Team reviews the decree and its potential impacts, as well as actions to take.

The Decree at a Glance

The shift from a floating Saturday to a fixed calendar date is significant: July 24 now serves as a permanent, predictable anchor for industry planning, marketing campaigns and cultural events tied to Mexico's iconic spirit. Beyond its symbolic dimension, the declaration underscores the importance of regulatory integrity, denomination of origin protection and international positioning of tequila – areas that are increasingly subject to regulatory scrutiny and cross-border disputes.

Impacts for Key Stakeholders

The move to a fixed date creates tangible opportunities – and some logistical adjustments – across the tequila value chain:

• Producers and Distillers. A midsummer date aligns with peak agave harvesting and international spirits-buying seasons. Brands can now build annual promotional calendars with certainty, rather than track a shifting Saturday each year.
• Exporters and Distributors. July 24 falls during the Northern Hemisphere summer – a high-consumption period for spirits in key export markets such as the U.S. and Europe. Coordinating export promotions and retail campaigns around a fixed date simplifies logistics and amplifies market impact.
• Intellectual Property and Branding. Companies holding tequila-related trademarks or denominations of origin should consider updating marketing materials and social media strategies to reflect the new official date.

Actions to Take

Businesses in the tequila ecosystem should consider the following steps:

• Update Promotional Calendars. Revise 2026 and future marketing plans to anchor campaigns around July 24 instead of the former third Saturday of March.
• Review Contracts and Sponsorships. If existing agreements reference the former celebration date, consider whether amendments are needed to reflect the new fixed date.
• Coordinate with Trade Associations. Engage with Mexico's Tequila Regulatory Council (Consejo Regulador del Tequila or CRT) and relevant industry bodies to align unified celebration activities and promotional messaging.
• Plan for 2026. With the decree already in force, the first July 24 celebration is less than two months away. Early movers will have a competitive advantage in securing media coverage, event venues and consumer attention.

The Regulatory Landscape

Tequila production, labeling and commercialization are governed by Mexico's NOM-006 across the full product life cycle – from agave cultivation through export. The CRT certifies compliance, protects the denomination of origin and controls authenticity claims. This regulatory architecture means that law is not adjacent to tequila – law defines tequila.

Labeling disputes (such as "100 percent agave" claims and additive disclosures), export compliance and regulatory enforcement are in active litigation and subject to compliance issues. Marketing claims are under increasing scrutiny from regulators and courts on both sides of the border. This is a contentious, high-stakes, cross-border legal ecosystem, and the recent decree only amplifies its visibility.

Holland & Knight Can Help

Holland & Knight's Alcohol Beverage Team has a particular perspective on the tequila industry, having advised regulatory bodies responsible for safeguarding the denomination of origin, as well as producers, distributors and global brands operating within the sector. Our attorneys sit at the center of the tequila ecosystem, and this perspective allows us to anticipate regulatory developments, structure compliant commercial strategies and navigate disputes involving labeling, certification, export compliance and brand positioning.

As the industry gains renewed national and international visibility, companies operating in the tequila space should expect increased scrutiny and opportunity. For guidance on navigating this evolving landscape, please contact the authors of this alert or your Holland & Knight relationship attorney.

Additional Resources

• Supply Chain Compliance in Mexico's Food and Beverage Sector. This Holland & Knight Legal Bites Podcast examines how recent U.S. measures against Mexican cartels are reshaping compliance in Mexico's food and alcohol beverage industries. Through case examples – from agave and tequila supply chains to avocado exports – the hosts discuss the critical role of robust cross-border due diligence and updated compliance controls to avert legal and reputational risks when illicit actors intersect with legitimate tequila production or trade.
• Recent U.S. Enforcement Actions Against Mexican Cartels: Emerging Risks for the Agro-Industry. This Holland & Knight alert analyzes a new cross-border compliance risk landscape for U.S. companies in Mexican industries (including agave spirits) following U.S. designation of Mexican cartels as terrorist organizations. It highlights recent developments in Jalisco's tequila region – notably the arrest of the mayor of Tequila, Mexico, for allegedly extorting tequila distilleries in collusion with the Cartel Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG) – and stresses the need for robust due diligence, supply chain monitoring and updated compliance measures to protect tequila exporters and other agro-industry players from inadvertent legal exposure.
• Mexico Announces Mandatory Automatic Notice for Exports of Specific Goods. This Holland & Knight alert covers Mexican trade regulations requiring automatic export notifications for certain products, including tequila. It explains the steps for exporters to comply with the June 2025 automatic export notice procedure, a measure affecting tequila producers and other exporters of controlled goods such as beer, raw gold and medical devices. It also provides practical guidance on international trade compliance and cross-border regulatory issues in the tequila sector.

Information contained in this alert is for the general education and knowledge of our readers. It is not designed to be, and should not be used as, the sole source of information when analyzing and resolving a legal problem, and it should not be substituted for legal advice, which relies on a specific factual analysis. Moreover, the laws of each jurisdiction are different and are constantly changing. This information is not intended to create, and receipt of it does not constitute, an attorney-client relationship. If you have specific questions regarding a particular fact situation, we urge you to consult the authors of this publication, your Holland & Knight representative or other competent legal counsel.