You never know where life will take you. Just ask Dan Scully, a man who went from taking stabs at the city’s biggest stories as the publisher of a magazine to taking shots as the president and CEO of Hotel California Tequila. And it all started when Scully stepped away from his 25-year-long career in publishing to become the general manager of the Winnetu Oceanside Resort and its 100-seat restaurant and bar.
It was there that he was first introduced to the tequila brand, by his now-partner David Bourque, who was investing in the spirits company at the time. Scully added the tequila to the restaurant’s menu and it became an instant hit. “I watched as people walked in and pointed at the bottles,” Scully says. “Once they had a taste, they loved it.”
Soon Bourque decided to take over the company, and he convinced Scully to join him. The two headquartered the company in Hingham in 2016 and now distribute the award-winning tequila in eight states as well as in Mexico.
There’s just one rumor Scully needs to put to rest; although the brand shares its name with the Eagles’ popular classic rock hit, there are no immediate plans to collaborate with the band. Hotel California Tequila is named after an actual hotel in Todos Santos, Mexico, that was originally opened by Antonio Wong, a Chinese immigrant, in 1947. The hotel was a gathering spot on the Baja peninsula for artists and other wanderers for decades, and in 2001, a Canadian couple named John and Debbie Stewart bought the property and transformed in into an 11-suite boutique hotel with a dream to create a signature tequila in its name.
So where the Stewarts left off, Scully and Bourque have stepped in. Hotel California Tequila embodies the essence of its namesake, which has once again become a haven for artists, travelers, foodies and surfers. Life’s unpredictable, but this tequila is not.
Try Hotel California at home in this no-fail margarita recipe:
In a cocktail shaker, combine 2 oz. Hotel California Tequila Blanco, 1 ½ oz. fresh lime juice, 1 oz. fresh orange juice and 1 tsp. agave nectar. Shake with ice for 30 seconds and strain into a glass. Add a lime wedge for garnish and salt on the rim. Cheers to that!
Photography by: Photo courtesy of Hotel California Tequila
