Arturo Hilario
El Observador
If you try the tamarind-flavored Gran Malo tequila, be sure to subscribe to its creator’s YouTube channel for a mix of humor and great insights from around the world.
The emerging tequila brand was co-founded in 2021 by Mexican content creator Luisito Comunica, whose real name is Luis Arturo Villar Sudek, one of the most influential and popular online content creators in Latin America and around the world, with more than 128 million followers across his various social media platforms. He is the second-most subscribed YouTuber in Mexico and the ninth in the Spanish-speaking world.
He began his online career by uploading piano tutorials to YouTube using an old-fashioned webcam in 2010, although it was short-lived, with five videos existing between 2010 and 2011.
What really took off was when he began his other YouTube channel in 2012, Luisito Comunica, with his first upload on May 3 titled “Entrevistas Chistosas sobre Talentos”, which translates to “Funny Interviews about Talents”. In it, he walks around the busy historic center of his hometown of Puebla, Mexico with a microphone talking to those willing to answer his questions on camera about any special hidden talents they might have.
From dancing reggaeton to drawing, and a man talking about an aerial silk performance, Lusito’s inquisitive charm, humor, and ability to connect with strangers are evident from his first upload. Interviews with everyday people are nothing new in the media; they’ve been a part of journalism and have become a quintessential style of online content, prevalent on apps like Instagram and TikTok to this day.
However, Luis belongs to the first era of pioneering YouTubers, those at the forefront of new territory who honed their craft through trial and error and, in his case, navigated it successfully.
Since that first video thirteen years ago, the Luisito Comunica brand has evolved, and Luis has moved from simple street interviews to focusing on world travel documentaries that combine interesting facts, humor, and reflections. Documenting his travels, using new technologies, exploring global gastronomy, and sharing his daily life experiences are predominant aspects of his online image.
His reach also extends into the business world, with several ventures, including a ramen shop in Mexico City called Deigo Ramen and even a prepaid mobile phone service called PilloFon. In addition to all this, he has lent his voice to the character Sonic the Hedgehog for Latin American dubbing of films, while also continuing to post videos on his YouTube page.
His new project, the tamarind-flavored Gran Malo tequila, is one of his most personal projects, reflecting his personality, his Mexican pride, and his passion for learning and creating memorable moments.
Learn more about Luis in the following interview, where he discusses his experiences building his media career from the ground up, how Sonic would react to a shot of tequila, and his involvement in the creation of Gran Malo —from its flavor profile, bottle design, and even how to enjoy it to the fullest.
Find Luisito Comunica online at @luisitocomunica.
To start, Luisito, for those who don’t know you, what is Luisito Comunica about? If someone searches you on the web and visits your channels, what will they find?
Look, what you’ll find on my channel, Luisito Comunica, is basically adventures around the world, explaining situations about countries, interesting and curious places, all kinds of facts about the world, etc. I explore and teach, and all that. It’s a very cultural channel, but fun. That’s what you’ll find on my page.
And yeah, you started your channel like 15 years ago or more than 10, right?
My current channel is already 13 years old. It turned 13 this year. Crazy.
Congratulations. And when you started your YouTube channel, you interviewed people on the street, made comedy videos, all that. And then you started making more informative videos, traveling around the world. How do you think your content has evolved from those early days to now?
Honestly, quite a bit. When I was just starting out, my genre was more about interviewing people on the street in a funny, humorous way, finding funny characters. It was more about laughter. And now the content is a little more analytical, more about analyzing, exposing situations, etc.
And in all that time, in the thirteen years that you’ve been doing this, is there a philosophy that you’ve formulated on those trips and being the center of attention of millions of people who watch your channels and your content?
Yes, well, I think one philosophy I’ve acquired, so to speak, is basically that every time I travel to a new place, I like to understand that it’s someone else’s home, that it’s someone else’s house, and that it has to be treated with that respect. Whether it’s what you’re going to say, what you’re going to do, or what that person is going to do. So, that’s what it’s taught me, to be respectful of the city that is someone else’s home.
And in addition to being a YouTuber, author, and entrepreneur, you’re the voice of Sonic in the Spanish-language movies, for everyone who watches Sonic in Spanish.
Yes, that’s right, Sonic’s voice.
What motivates you to keep doing all these projects and moving forward with your YouTube career and all that?
Of course, the truth is that I’m really motivated by people’s support, the fact that someone is watching what you’re doing. It often happens to many creators that they make, make, create, and create, and few people see it. But in my case, I’m super lucky that so many people can see this, and that’s what motivates me the most: that someone else is finding out, that they’re encouraging me, that’s all. So yes, the people.
What was the last experience that left a lasting impression?
I’d say I recently traveled through Cuba, for example. I had several experiences there, especially spending time with the people, entering their homes. So, go see what the lifestyle is like in such a closed country. I’d say it was a recent, positive experience that left a lasting impression on me.
And now speaking of your Gran Malo tequila, where did the idea and inspiration to create it come from?
Gran Malo is a brand I’ve been building with my partners for five years, in fact. We started planning it in 2020. We first launched in March 2021 in Mexico. We spent those years expanding throughout Mexico, Central America, some South American countries, and just now we’re entering the United States.
So we’re super excited about this; the market has received it very well. And the truth is, the strategy we came up with for this drink was simply that in Mexico, they started selling a lot of, let’s call them, high-proof alcoholic beverages with flavors that were selling very well. To give you an example, there was a flavored whiskey that was doing very well, there was a flavored vodka that was doing very well.
We realized there wasn’t any tequila branded like that yet. So we said, “Let’s get into the business from that angle.” And that’s when the whole name, the characters, and the flavor were designed. We started with tamarind and that was it. And now we’re finally entering the United States, trying to break ground. And so far, we’ve been well received.
Speaking more about Gran Malo, I see a lot of attention to detail on the bottle, and the flavor is very good. How important was it to create something people could enjoy that wasn’t just another way to make money?
Yes, of course. I mean, look, we based it on the bottle design. If you can see, it’s more or less like a Day of the Dead paper cut, more or less like that, like the design of a bandana. We wanted to base it on that.
Likewise, another reason is that the bottle has a texture, you know? It has a grip. And beyond that, I love this little detail above, the fact that the cap is a shot glass. So, there’s your shot glass in your cap, you pour it, and I think it’s very creative, very cute.
As a fun fact, in the Mexican version, for example, the cup is plastic. Here in the United States, it’s metal. And yes, that’s basically the only difference. From then on, it’s exactly the same. So yes, I love the bottle; we’re very happy.
And both the one from here and the one from there, are they distilled in the same place, the same alcohol content?
Yes, it’s exactly the same. It’s distilled in Los Altos, Jalisco, which is one of Mexico’s strongest tequila-producing regions. It’s distilled there in Los Altos, Jalisco, and the same blend is made. That is, it’s a mixture consisting of tamarind, sugar, and piquín chili. That’s what gives it the spiciness, like a little bit of heat, but sweet. So, it’s a mixture that’s made, everything is diluted, and in the end, this liquid is left.
In the process of making tequila, did you learn a lot about it?
Yes, absolutely. I mean, yes, you learn a lot. You socialize there with the jimadores, and above all, you learn that it’s an industry with many steps. I mean, it takes about seven years for an agave plant like that to grow and produce tequila.
So, you really start to think about how much time it takes to make a tequila like that—it’s impressive. And it’s also very nice to see how many people the industry provides jobs for. It’s really nice, I learned a lot and got a lot out of it.
It first premiered in Mexico. But how has Gran Malo been received here in the United States? What have the people you’ve heard from been like?
Honestly, good. I mean, I was even really surprised that I randomly went into a liquor store and asked, “Hey, do you have any Gran Malo?” And they immediately told me, “Well, we had some, but we’re out. We had some, but it’s selling really well.”
So, we’ve received very good feedback. Likewise, we’ve seen many posts online, we’ve seen pages and TikTok and Instagram creators making content about deals, talking about things like, “Gran Malo is already in this store,” and so on.
And yes, we’re in several stores, supermarkets, and liquor stores. It’s expanding very well, and from what we’re hearing, it’s doing really, really well.
And for those who haven’t tried it yet, what do you want the experience to be like for people who buy this bottle?
Sure, look, for those who haven’t tried it, I suggest you drink it really, really cold, put it in the freezer, put it in the fridge, let it be cold, cold, and then drink it in a little shot, just like that, on its own, I would recommend it just like that on its own and you’ll see, I mean, it’s a sweet experience, it’s an explosion of flavor, it tastes sweet, it tastes a little spicy, it tastes fruity and it tastes like tequila, but delicious, I mean, delicious, delicious.
Many people suddenly think that taking a shot of tequila is definitely going to be strong. This is a different experience.
And do you think if Sonic drank Gran Malo it would calm him down or not?
I think he would be more agitated, I would think so.
And finally, is there anything else you want to leave people with?
Well, nothing else, I want to tell people thank you for the support, for everything. And if you live in the regions here in the United States, if you’re from Colorado, California, New Mexico, Arizona, etc., etc., look for Gran Malo and give it a try.
