Always Over Tequila: Wyc Grousbeck & Emilia Fazzalari On The Secret Of Cincoro Tequila’s Success

AS CINCORO TEQUILA CELEBRATES ITS 5TH ANNIVERSARY, CO-FOUNDERS WYC GROUSBECK AND EMILIA FAZZALARI REVEAL THE SECRET BEHIND THEIR SUCCESS.

On a quintessential September day in New York, Wyc Grousbeck and Emilia Fazzalari graciously welcomed me into their home — both literally and figuratively. In fact, they were still in the process of moving into their brand-new residence, which overlooks Central Park. I was first surprised that they would invite me in while the carpets were still being installed and the paint was drying, but I soon realized that this is simply who Grousbeck and Fazzalari are: to them, everyone is family.

As I spent the day with the co-founders of Cincoro Tequila, the importance of family resonated with me. Their zest for life is infectious, filling their new home with warmth and energy. It’s an intoxicatingly exciting energy that becomes tangible and inviting within moments of meeting them. Their love for life — and for one another — infuses the very essence of Cincoro Tequila.

The brand itself is a love story. In July 2016, five rival NBA team owners — Fazzalari and Grousbeck from the Celtics, Jeanie Buss from the Lakers, Michael Jordan from the Hornets, and Wes Edens from the Bucks — came together through their shared love for tequila. This bond inspired them to create Cincoro Tequila, a brand that symbolizes their unity and mission to set the gold standard in tequila.

Reflecting on the origin story of the brand, Fazzalari can’t help but smile: “The beginning was all very organic. Michael was the true tequila connoisseur in the group.” A brief digression as you might be wondering how five NBA powerhouses found themselves in the same room together. It all started at a dinner in New York, where Grousbeck, Buss, Jordan, and Edens were already in town for the NBA Board of Governors meeting. Fazzalari simply suggested that they pivot their meeting to a dinner.

“At this dinner, something truly special occurred. Here we were, four NBA rivals, gathered in a way that would typically be unusual for us. However, the NBA has a strong sense of collaboration as an organization. So, we all went out and had so much fun — it all started over tequila,” Fazzalari reveals.

“Michael actually taught us how to drink tequila,” she continues, recounting the initial meeting. “We then began discussing our love for tequila, which led us to the idea of ​​creating a tequila that was a little different than anything else on the market. Our goal was to develop a delicious tequila with a smooth taste, without the harsh burn of the agave, and a long, gorgeous finish.”

A month later, the founders reunited for a second dinner after attending the NBA Board of Governors meeting. “The second meeting was just as explosive as the first,” Fazzalari explains. “By the end of that dinner meeting, we decided to bond as a team and go for it — we set out to make the world’s most delicious tequila, and that was it. It was always over tequila; everything we have accomplished has always been over tequila.”

Over the next three years, the five founders worked side by side, creating a liquid like never before while never losing sight of the purpose of Cincoro Tequila.

“Michael’s original concept was to create a tequila meant for sharing with friends, which is the essence of Cincoro. It is all about sharing with friends and enjoying moments together,” Grousbeck adds. “As we collaborated, we were all excited by our creative ideas. Emilia wrangled it all together, and we set out to create our own liquid. Three years and 1,000 tequilas later, we had our award-winning liquid, our North Star.”

To this day, Jordan and Fazzalari still taste every batch before it is bottled. For them, the focus is solely on the quality of the liquid. “Nothing else mattered unless we got the liquid right,” Fazzalari admits, “Everything else, including branding and design, came after perfecting the highest quality of the tequila.” Shortly after this process, Jordan brought in Mark Smith, the vice president of special projects at Nike, to assist in designing the tequila bottle.

Fazzalari added, “We are a very close team — all fierce competitors that don’t like to lose. And we all share a passion for creating and enjoying the world’s most delicious tequila. All the founders play an important role in the success of the brand. The founding group weighs in on all innovation, design, and liquid.”

Cincoro Tequila is teaming with clever design elements. For instance, the name “Cincoro” is a combination of “cinco,” which refers to the five founders, and “oro,” meaning gold. And the bottle features five angular sides, each set at a 23-degree angle — a nod to Jordan. This 23-degree design creates a perfect circle reminiscent of the NBA tip-off circle when exactly 23 bottles of Cincoro are laid end to end. While these details may seem minute, they stand as a testament to the co-founders’ strategic intention behind every aspect of Cincoro Tequila.

Given their significant influence, it’s no surprise that the bottle itself emulates a trophy. And as the brand leads with intention, the trophy concept transcends far beyond the bottle.

“At the core of the brand is the pursuit of greatness and the inspiration to achieve it. It’s about being authentic and doing what you love,” Fazzalari explains, as Grousbeck nods in agreement. “There is a ring around the bottle that says, ‘Share Truth,’ which is very special because it was a concept that Michael came up with and coined. You are literally pouring through ‘Share Truth’ when enjoying the tequila.” Another moment filled with great intention.

She continues, “At our very first meeting, Michael said that this tequila brand was about chilling and enjoying the moment. It’s about being authentic, and that is our shared truth.”

And Grousbeck and Fazzalari live and breathe the essence of Cincoro Tequila authentically. They genuinely love the brand they have built with their partners; to me, it’s the perfect “blank canvas” scenario, when entrepreneurs who have immense success in their career explore a passion project in an industry unknown to them. Eventually, this passion project becomes a burgeoning business fueled by the amount of pure dedication and admiration for the brand.

“Looking back, what is interesting is that we all had a clean slate — none of us came from the spirits industry. My background is in finance, as I spent my early career on Wall Street,” Fazzalari explains. Grousbeck also brings a unique perspective, as he is the lead owner and governor of the Boston Celtics. “This lack of industry bias was an advantage in creating Cincoro because we did it in a manner that was solely about creating the best possible liquid in a stunning bottle.”

What Cincoro Tequila has achieved in just five years is nothing short of remarkable. This success not only highlights the unique nature of their tequila in a saturated market but also reflects the genuine community Cincoro has built. The family the brand has gathered extends beyond the five co-founders and includes notable figures such as Derek Jeter, Serena Williams, Jason Robins, Keegan Bradley, and Dustin Johnson, among others, who all share a passion for tequila.

“One of the things I value most is the relationship we have with the individuals who represent the brand. At its core, Cincoro is about friendship, and we wanted to protect that aspect,” says Fazzalari. Grousbeck chimes in, explaining that Cincoro surrounds itself with all friends of at least one degree to at least one of the co-founders, making the brand’s circle a bit more intimate. “Anyone we bring in is considered part of our extended family,” Grousbeck proudly states.

With a wildly rapid expansion, the idea that Cincoro is truly one big family could not be clearer as I sat in their almost-furnished living room conversing with two people I felt as if I had known forever. This is the impact of the “Wyc and Emilia Effect.” They invite you into their inner circle because they genuinely want you to be a part of it.

“What we have enjoyed most about this long-term journey together as a team is spending time with our friends and making something truly special. Seeing others taste Cincoro and love it is incredibly satisfying. And now, we are taking on the new challenge of expanding worldwide into Europe and Asia,” Grousbeck reveals. “It’s a massive challenge, but we don’t stop. We keep going — we are committed to this long-term journey together as a team.”

The reception in the global markets has been positive, but it doesn’t come without Fazzalari’s tenacity. “Entering global markets requires a lot of hard work and determination. We are really excited about the opportunities abroad,” Fazzalari explains. “The tequila market outside the US is just getting started, so we look forward to introducing Cincoro abroad.”

Grousbeck adds to the sentiment, “Our approach is inspired by greatness, which Michael embodies, and that resonates globally with everybody.”

With a global expansion ahead, I bring it back stateside for a moment. Our cover photoshoot took place the day after an electrifying evening in New York that celebrated Cincoro Tequila’s fifth anniversary. The star-studded event was held at Spring Studios, where notable guests included Flo-Rida, Eric Church, Michael Strahan, DJ Khaled, and many others. The evening also marked the introduction of a new addition to the Cincoro Tequila family: the limited-edition Añejo Cristalino.

“Innovation is in our DNA,” says Fazzalari. “Añejo is one of our favorite expressions, and the Cristalino is an Añejo-based spirit that undergoes double charcoal filtration to achieve its clarity. This is our special innovation this year, and every year since launch, we have tried to do something innovative and cool,” she adds, noting that its rarity means it wouldn’t be available for long.

Speaking of rarity, that is another word I would use to describe Grousbeck and Fazzalari. Their connection is one that is rarely encountered, and when it occurs, it reminds you how pure human connection is meant to be.

When translating this same love into building Cincoro, Grousbeck bottled it up perfectly: “It will never work if you don’t love your own product. People get to taste what we love, and that makes a connection between us and them. It’s like the Celtics. I am so proud of them, and I am that proud of Cincoro.” Echoing Grousbeck, Fazzalari brings it back to purpose with the brand. “We want to share it with the world. It all ties back to the ‘Share Truth’ on the bottle — that is who we are.”

Indeed, it is who they are. Looking back at that day on set as I write this story, I can confidently say the shoot with Grousbeck and Fazzalari goes down in history. Why? As Fazzalari mentioned, it was always over tequila, and so it was our interview.

HOW TO DRINK CINCORO TEQUILA

THE WYC WAY
An Añejo Old Fashioned, extra neat.

EMILIA’S VERSION
I like to drink Blanco or Reposado with one large ice rock and an orange slice. I also enjoy Blanco in an espresso martini.

BY ADRIENNE FAUROTE

PHOTOGRAPHY CODY LIDTKE

STYLING JASON REMBERT

HAIR STYLIST REBECCA VELEZ

MAKEUP ARTIST ASAMI MATSUDA

DP ANTHONY TRIPOLI

MACY IDZAKOVICH TAILORING

STYLING ASSISTANTS WILTON WHITE, RON JEFFRIES, KYLE NELSON, AND BLAKE TURNER