We first encountered Adriana Torres through Novel Spirits Collection, the US importer of her flagship bacanora brand, Pascola Bacanora. The more we heard about her from Connie and Mel Abert, the owners of Novel Spirits, the more intrigued we became with her background. You can read about her herculean efforts to revitalize Sonora, Mexico’s once … Read more
When Judy Rivera sought to make her own brand of tequila, she was determined to find a master distiller whose views and outlook were similar to hers. It wasn’t long before she found Carmen Lucia Barajas Cárdenas–“Melly” to her friends–and Sino Tequila was born. Melly Barajas always intended to be a Tequila Boss Lady. After … Read more
[In early November of 2014, San Antonio resident and neighbor, Germán González, joined us at our home office. That evening, he brought his full array of Tequila Uno (T1)–Ultra Fino, Selecto, Excepcional, Tequila Estelar, along with the much acclaimed ultra-aged Tears of Llorona. In a more relaxed atmosphere and without his signature Panama hat and guayabera, Germán … Read more
Herradura Distillery Tour Herradura! You know the name. It’s everywhere. Every liquor store, bar, and restaurant that serves tequila likely serves Herradura, a brand that seems lesser known than Sauza or Jose Cuervo, but is the oldest distillery still intact and operating in Tequila, Mexico. We pulled up to a traditional hacienda on a dirt … Read more
We briefly tackled the diffuser controversy earlier in 2014 with The Diffusor in Tequila Production: Are They Cheating? and in Craft Tequila–WTF Does THAT Mean? Part 2 where we featured our Craft Tequila Gauntlet to help you make better buying decisions when seeking quality craft tequilas. Here, Tequila Aficionado Media delves deeper… What’s Not on The Menu On … Read more
Epic Marketing or Sauza History Lesson? You Be the Judge Part 3 in Jessica’s Epic Journey By Jessica Arent, Tequila Aficionado Contributor My second day in Mexico was focused on the product and team brainstorming for a market launch. Believe me when I say Mel Gibson’s character in “What Women Want” wasn’t so far off … Read more
…At The Patio in San Diego By Ryan Kelley Tequila pairing dinners are always an adventure. Like fine wine, tequila has a way of inspiring and challenging chefs to marry just the right food to match the myriad and often complex flavors inherent in well-made, artisanal tequila. So when my friend Tequilier Mario Marquez invited … Read more
Embajador Premium Reposado tequila takes Platinum prize from among 403 entries at the prestigious SIP Awards… (Press release) Austin, TX–On April 27, 2014, at the luxurious St. Regis Monarch Beach Resort in Dana Point, CA, a 100 member panel of judges voted Embajador Premium Reposado tequila a Platinum prize at the 6th annual SIP Awards. Embajador Tequila … Read more
Blurred Lines Throughout Part 1, we employed the use of more adjectives and descriptors to define, describe and distinguish one booze from another in the same category, as well as to give the illusion that it is actually closer to another booze in the leading categories. Words like award-winning, artisanal, small-run, limited-production, hand-crafted, and boutique … Read more
An interesting question crossed my desk concerning the term craft as it relates to tequila. This person asked… “The one thing I am finding is the definition of ‘craft’ is all over the place. What does craft mean to you? Do you think it is based on the method, quantity, who makes it or maybe … Read more