Tequila Tycoon
Iguana’s Grill & Cantina Sizzles with 1,312 Different Brands of Tequila

By Claire McElheney

   Amidst the screeching sounds of cars and crowds and the towering shadows of New York City’s skyscrapers, a stirring call to arms can be heard amongst the hustle and bustle. At the start of the day, it is whispered throughout the walls of one quaint cantina, and with each passing hour it builds to a bellowing demand –– mas tequila!


Fiesta Fun
   More tequila: this is the idea behind Iguana’s Mexican Grill & Cantina in Queens, New York. More than just a south-of-the-border solution, this Mecca for authentic Mexican merriment is bursting at the seams with more than one thousand tasty and intoxicating tequilas. Iguana’s boasts one of the largest tequila collections in the country carrying 1,312 different kinds of tequila. Each brand is as diverse as the grains of salt paired with the spunky spirit ranging from well-known brands, to extremely expensive investments, to dusty bottles that come straight from a Mexican housewife’s hands.
   “I began collecting tequilas around 2000 after a couple trips to Tequila, Guadalajara and Chenango, Mexico,” says owner and collector Carlos Londono. “It started off as a hobby but it’s more like an obsession now.”
   When customers enter Iguana’s, they immediately are transported to a Mexican oasis.  Slashes of pink, green, yellow and blue ignite the room while the invigorating sounds of the Mariachi band echo off the weathered, hardwood floors. Authentic Mexican art covers the colorful walls, and white tree branches adorned with twinkling lights frame the front bar.
   For the true tequila action, the back bar is the place to be with female bartenders and a fun-loving fiesta vibe. Tequila bottles encase every inch of the walls like the spines of a cactus –– lined up straight and glistening in the light of the neon bar sign. Shots go down, Margaritas are served up and locals feast on the freshest Mexican cuisine.
   “I can say the vibe is very lively,” Londono says. “The Mariachi goes crazy and then everybody in the restaurant goes crazy. It’s  like spring break when everyone gets into it.”

Agave Display
   To add to the appeal of fresh authentic food, a friendly fiesta atmosphere, and “a crazy range of flavored Margaritas,” Iguana’s attracts new and old customers with its Tequila Museum, Londono says. The museum displays 450 of the most exotic  brands in his collection. There are no guided tours or pamphlets to explain the 1,312 different brands –– just Londono.  
   “I know something about pretty much every tequila,” he says. “Tequila Del Oro costs $33,000 and we have a bottle. You get your name engraved in the top. But, we also have tequilas that are basically impossible to replace. Some are from little Mexican families that make it and label it themselves. I’ve been in the middle of nowhere buying tequila from some guy on a donkey who sells it to make a living. It’s wild.
   “I think the tequila selection and the staff keep our diverse crowd coming back,” he says. “Everybody knows everybody, and it makes for a fun environment. This tequila business is not even a hobby anymore. It’s a part of my life.”                                 

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