On Thursday night, as tornado sirens sounded and rain fell sideways, Mark Wahlberg walked into La Neta Cocina y Lounge for the restaurant’s grand opening. He was there to support his tequila brand, Flecha Azul. He will also be on Specs on March 3 at 1 p.m. to sign bottles for fans.

The brand was launched in 2020 by pro golfer Abraham Ancer and entrepreneur Aron Marquez. It is made in Jalisco, Mexico, from estate-grown Blue Weber agave and is produced at the family-owned Casa Orendain distillery. It is made in the traditional way – agave piñas are harvested, cooked in brick ovens and crushed to release juice, which is then fermented and distilled.

Wahlberg joined the team in early 2022, investing in the business to help it grow. “There are a lot of tequilas out there, and the category is obviously on fire,” says Wahlberg. He met Ancer and Marquez through mutual friends and they hit it off. The trio spent time together, traveled down to Jalisco to visit the distillery, and realized they had a lot in common.

“I wanted to get involved because of the product these guys had created, but it was really a research process on both sides,” he says. “It’s a superior product to a lot of other tequilas out there, and it’s made by authentic, Mexican producers. So I wanted to invest in them, celebrate what they created, and help them bring it to the masses.”

Flecha Azul makes five expressions: blanco, reposado, añejo, extra añejo and cristalino, a growing category that sees aged tequila filtered until clear, which removes some of the barrel’s woody notes while leaving behind rich flavors and textures. Wahlberg says the Cristalino is the favorite of the bunch, and he likes to drink it straight.

“The only problem I have with that tequila is that it’s so smooth you have to have an off switch,” he explains. “I live a very balanced life, but sometimes I have to drop a couple of waters in there because it’s so easy to drink.”

Wahlberg embraces his role as the brand’s master, and while he’s learned a lot about the tequila-making process, he says he’s content to defer to the experts when it comes to production and even cocktail recipes.

“I don’t want to do anything to diminish what they’ve created,” he says. “I can put it in a protein shake, but I don’t know if they’ll agree.”

At La Neta Cocina, Wahlberg worked the room, talking to fans and taking pictures. He even slipped behind the bar to sling drinks for a while. He says he doesn’t come to Dallas very often, but he likes to stay at The Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek when he’s in town, and he’s a member of Dallas National, the exclusive golf club. He is also a business partner in Wahlburgers, which opened at The Star in Frisco in 2019.

“I played there and fell in love with it, so I joined,” he says, noting that he had a tee time the next day. It’s easy to imagine him on the course, enjoying some cristalino between holes – but not too much, and with a little water on the side.