“If you’ve left tequila because you had a bad experience, this is the tequila that will bring you back to spirits because it’s really a lovely, beautiful, complex tequila that you will enjoy,” actress and director Eva Longoria says of Casa Del Sol, the tequila brand she co-founded.

Longoria—known for such roles as Isabella Braña on The Young and the Restless, Gabrielle Solis on Desperate Housewives, among many others—made surprise appearances in Scottsdale yesterday for the brand. She stopped at numerous restaurants and retailers, including BevMo! and Total Wine & More.

Scottsdale.com caught up with her to chat about her tequila, as well as what projects she has in the works.

Casa Del Sol debuted last year as a luxury sipping tequila brand.

And while tequila lovers may think they know tequila, this brand is different, Longoria says.

Rather than being aged in whiskey barrels from the United States, as most tequilas are, Casa Del Sol sources handcrafted French Limousin Cognac barrels from France, which softens and enhances the spirit. In fact, Casa Del Sol is the only brand that ages all of its products in Cognac barrels.

Made in the Altos de Jalisco region of Mexico, the brand, “really honors the Mexican heritage and art form of tequila-making,” Longoria explains. “And preserving it … at Casa Del Sol, our distilleries are 100% Mexican-owned.”

The company also gives back to the region in numerous ways.

Casa Del Sol’s collection features an Añejo (soft and balanced, with notes of honey toffee, butterscotch, and dried fruit), Blanco (smooth and complex, with hints of fresh agave and mint, and notes of spice and caramel green apple), and Reposado (a woody aroma evokes soft vanilla with hints of raisin and sweet tobacco, with notes of wild honey, raisin, and butterscotch).

In addition to Casa Del Sol, Longoria is gearing up for her directorial debut of the feature film Flamin’ Hot, about the Mexican janitor who created Flamin’ Hot CHEETOS.

Casa Del Sol is available at a variety of local restaurants, as well as stores including Total Wine & More, BevMo!, Albertson’s, and Safeway.

Eva Longoria showcases her Casa Del Sol tequila brand in Scottsdale. Photo by Michelle Glicksman Eva Longoria showcases her Casa Del Sol tequila brand while in Scottsdale. Photo by Michelle Glicksman