When Fort Myers husband-and-wife entrepreneurs Chris and Geri Andrews debuted their long-planned tequila company a year ago in May, they called it Music Spirits LLC. Their dedication to that title runs deeply through the brand and its Música tequilas. It’s part of the manufacturing process where their agave and water spirits are made in Jalisco, Mexico, before being imported to the U.S.
During the fermenting and aging stages, workers play music that is believed to enhance the final product, or what the Andrews call the Mozart Effect. That doesn’t mean they only play Mozart. Any kind of melody — whether blues, rock, reggae, house, techno or mariachi — might go into the mix.
“The music sound vibrates the liquid and excites it in a certain way,” Chris Andrews said. “Same thing when it’s aging in the barrels … It’s a little subjective. We’re one of maybe a dozen brands that use this method.”
His love of music is personal. Andrews, 63, was a musician and record producer for several decades in the 1980s and ’90s. After graduating with an engineering degree from Michigan State University, he gravitated toward techno, house and electronic dance music. His experience includes working with Detroit electronic music pioneer Kevin Saunderson as an engineer on Inner City’s hit debut album Paradise in 1989.
“Being in the industry made me really cherish diversity and different kinds of music,” he said.
The Andrews’ tequila was its own hit after it debuted last May in Florida and Michigan, where the couple grew up. They moved to the area four years ago.
So far, their products have received 21 awards, including both for taste and unique glass bottle design.
“We feel our [tequila] is very agave forward, very clean and authentic,” Andrews said.
The major awards include two double gold medals for their Reposado, one at the 2025 Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America Access Live tasting competition, the leading national event for the alcohol beverage industry; and another at the 2024 SIP World Spirits Competition. It also received a mention in Forbes, which said: “Their Reposado is aged to perfection, offering a refined balance of the agave’s natural sweetness and the rich complexity of the oak aging.”
The Música Tequila Reposado was priced in Forbes at $63 per bottle.
The company also offers Blanco, Añejo and a limited-edition Blues Reserva Añejo, a flavor made exclusively to the blues. Andrews said they will probably create editions inspired by jazz, rock and other forms of music. “It really is a living brand that we hope to have fun with, with our artists and our customers.”
It took the Andrews five years of planning before their tequila hit the market. They were dedicated to creating an authentic product, a craft, boutique tequila made with 100% blue agave and water with no additives. And since they came from outside the tequila industry, they wanted to prove that they were dedicated to authenticity, had done their homework and were protecting the heritage behind the product.
The Andrews plan to continue expanding their tequila company while maintaining their boutique, craft-first approach. Meanwhile, they support music education through Save the Music, a national nonprofit that partners with public school districts to grant new instruments, technology and other resources for teachers and school leaders.
