When we were partying at the Cabo Wabo Cantina in Cabo San Lucas, we stumbled upon Mexico's best-kept secret: a tequila with such a clean taste and a smooth finish, you can drink it straight. The club has its very own branded tequila, Cabo Wabo Reposado.

Cabo Wabo tequila isn't quite as old as the club itself. Ex Van Halen front man Sammy Hagar, who opened the Cabo Wabo Cantina 10 years ago, came up with the idea to start branding the club's own tequila a few years after its opening. Hagar came across a small family-owned tequila distillery in Guadalajara, Mexico, that was producing a quality product but only selling it locally. He sampled the tequila himself, essentially hand-picking it for the club. Hagar then had a company produce custom labels for the bottles so he could sell and serve it in the club.

Patrons of the Cantina couldn't seem to get enough of the incredibly smooth tequila, and before long it had made its way from the shot glass to the cocktail glass to the kitchen.

"Sammy came up with the idea of having a recipe made with our tequila." says Jorge Viaña, part owner of the Cabo Wabo Cantina. "It's called the Waborita. It's a beautiful drink made like a strong martini. And then came the recipe for a meal. So we have Sammy's drunken shrimp, which is made with some tequila, chilis and lime." There are also several other seafood dishes served at the Cabo Wabo that are made with Cabo tequila.

Shortly after its inception, the tequila became extremely popular in the club, and Hagar decided to start selling it throughout Mexico and the United States, though only in selective liquor and specialty stores. Cabo Wabo tequila began to receive a lot of recognition.

"A couple of years ago I got on the plane and opened up a magazine," says Viaña. " There was a bottle of Cabo Wabo listed as one of the three best tequilas in some article [Bon Appetit], along with Cuervo Tradicional and Patrón. I was so excited, I got off the plane with a stack of magazines."

So what makes the Cabo Wabo Reposado tequila so good? For starters, it taps the root of the blue agave, a cactus-like plant native to Mexico, and it's made from 100% agave. Some cheaper tequilas can use as little as 60% agave and add extra sugars and additives. It's aged for four to six months in oak barrels, and poured into hand blown, individual glass bottles.

"There's no secret ingredient," says Viaña, "it's just well done. It's a tequila that's done the correct way. There are a lot of tequilas that have such a big mass production that they can't handle it. We have quality control because it's a small factory, it's family owned and they do a good job."

There are three general varieties of tequila, each with its own distinct taste. Reposados are aged for up to six months, and have a sharp, sometimes peppery flavor. Blancos are not aged, and usually have a more distinct agave flavor. Añejo has a more woody taste to it because it is aged for a year or more. Cabo Wabo also produces a Blanco in a white bottle, and their Millennium tequila, Añejo, which comes in a red bottle.