Sipping Off The Cuff™ began as an audio podcast in 2006 and is Tequila Aficionado’s first and longest running tequila review program. Originally focused on tequila reviews, but with the added exportation of many other agave spirits from Mexico, we’ve expanded our reviews to all agave spirits, including tequila, mezcal, sotol, raicilla, bacanora, agave wine, ready-to-drink cocktails, and even mixers.
Amazon Alexa: “Alexa, play Tequila Aficionado podcast”
Sipping Off The Cuff(TM) is broadcast in video on YouTube and TequilaAficionado.com.
If you are a Tequila, Mezcal or Sotol brand owner and would like your product(s) reviewed on an upcoming episode of Sipping Off The Cuff(TM), please contact Mike@TequilaAficionado.com.
FTC Compliance:
All spirits and related products reviewed by Tequila Aficionado are received free of charge and without additional payment in cash or kind in exchange for an unbiased review. All of our reviewers are volunteers and receive no compensation from Tequila Aficionado or the brands they review.
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As the crowning jewel of 2017’s Wild Wild West Tour, El Cholo Cafe itself was commemorating its 94th year serving authentic Mexican cuisine to Southern California.
During a short lull in the action, Tequila Aficionado’s Founder Alex Perez, and CEO Mike Morales, took a moment or two to catch their breath and to reflect on the nearly twenty years of honest, authentic tequila and agave spirits news and reviews.
Growing with The Internet
We often say that Tequila Aficionado has grown parallel to the Internet.
For instance, in the early days, most all of our reviews were audio only. Later, with the creation of YouTube, Tequila Aficionado moved to strictly video reviews on its own channel.
To date, we have over 500 video reviews, with new ones being added weekly.
The Resurgence of Audio
As the Internet continues to evolve, it seems that certain things never really die. Audio podcasting has been reinvented and is even more popular than ever.
Whether using an elaborate set up, or simply pressing the button on the voice recording function of a smart phone, anyone can establish their own podcast channel.
The advances in software have allowed us to pull the audio from our Sipping Off The Cuff(c) episodes and to upload them to our BlogTalk Radio channel.
Multi-tasking is a way of life these days, but now you can take us with you wherever you go–
To the gym, on the way to work, to the local bar, or even to your neighborhood liquor store.
“Alexa, play Tequila Aficionado podcast”
Another easier way to stay up-to-date on the latest Sipping Off The Cuff(c) episode of your favorite tequila, mezcal or agave spirit, is to tell your virtual assistant, Amazon Alexa, to play it for you.
Simply repeat the above command and–BAM!–Alexa will play the latest Sipping Off The Cuff(c) review for you. If you’ve missed earlier episodes, just ask Alexa to play the previous review, and so on.
[Note: BlogTalk Radio inserts short commercial breaks into the audio. A radio aggregator then picks up the audio tracks and feeds them to Alexa, however, the ads are blacked out. Please disregard the intermittent “dead air,” and keep listening to the end of each episode.]
Hey, nothing’s perfect, but…
We have come a long way from handheld tape recorders, microphones and tequila glasses.
Pasadena, California’s landmark El Cholo Cafe Restaurant’s Tequila Tour has been a major community event for the past 17 years. Commemorating its 94th year serving authentic Mexican cuisine to Southern California, the October 27, 2017 edition was destined to be special.
Needless to say, it was an honor when El Cholo’s owner, Blair Salisbury, graciously asked Tequila Aficionado Media to anchor an exclusive VIP Hour during El Cholo’s Tequila Tour, and to share the fine craft agave spirits accompanying us on our 2017 Wild Wild West Tour.
Flawlessly guided by El Cholo’s point man for this shindig, consultant Alex Delgado, we were given the restaurant’s intimate West Patio to showcase the Brand of Promise(c) nominees that traveled with us throughout the month of October.
A Very Special Guest
Days before the El Cholo Tequila Tour, with help from the fine folks at PKGD Media who handle publicity for Tequila G4, we managed to convince the “Mad Scientist” of tequila, Felipe Camarena, to make an unscheduled guest appearance at El Cholo’s fiesta.
It was enlightening to discuss the state of the Tequila Industry from a long time agave grower’s point-of-view. Of great concern was the ongoing Agave Crisis, the ramifications of an agave shortage, and what Felipe considered was the real cause of the problems.
[*FTC Disclosure: Brands appearing on the Tequila Aficionado Wild Wild West 2017 Tour were vetted as Brand of Promise(c) Nominees and paid a nominal fee to be included.]
The VIP Hour
Before we knew it, employees of El Cholo’s opened the floodgates of the West Patio to the VIP Hour.
Joined by CMO Lisa Pietsch, Tequila Aficionado’s Founder, Alex Perez, and Tequila TJs Dave Dinius and Rick Levy, as well as some Brand of Promise(c) representatives, we were instantly surrounded by the smiling faces of dozens of passionate tequila aficionados.
These anxious VIPs were more than ready to sample some of the finest small batch, micro-distilled and handcrafted agave spirits that may or may not have been available, yet, in California.
Where It All Started
Mid-way through the VIP Hour, Blair, Alex, and myself took a few minutes to reminisce about that first podcast, and how each of our endeavors had grown exponentially with the demand for 100% de agave tequila, and now, mezcals.
Alex and I even took a moment to record a brief audio podcast memorializing the humble beginnings of Sipping Off the Cuff(c).
End of The Trail
El Cholo’s regularly scheduled Tequila Tour went off without a hitch, while almost everybody who had purchased VIP tickets lingered throughout the rest of the evening.
It was very gratifying to meet and greet so many fans and followers, to answer their burning questions on the participating Brands of Promise(c), and to experience the level of sophistication of the current crop of agave spirits consumers, whether newbies or seasoned sippers.
To Continue the Battle
Constant and continuing education on agave spirits is a must these days.
El Cholo’s yearly Tequila Tour is not just an event designed to savor authentic Mexican cuisine, but to also elegantly enjoy your continuing agave spirits education.
We look forward to joining forces once again with El Cholo in 2018 to, as Felipe Camarena put it, “Para darle la guerra.”
You can view more photos of El Cholo’s 2017 Tequila Tour here.
TEQUILA 30-30 REPOSADO rests in white oak barrels for at least 7 months. It reveals traces of agave, oak, cinnamon and a soft, long lasting finish.
FTC Disclaimer: All samples are received free of charge but no payment is accepted by Tequila Aficionado or its agents for reviews. All reviews are the opinions of those participating in the tasting and positive reviews are never guaranteed.
In this episode of Tequila Aficionado’s Sipping Off the Cuff, Mike Morales and Dave Dinius taste and discuss Tequila 30-30 Blanco.
TEQUILA 30-30 Blanco is packaged directly after distillation. When you try it you will experience touches of fresh agave, herbs and lemon with a slight mint finish.
FTC Disclaimer: All samples are received free of charge but no payment is accepted by Tequila Aficionado or its agents for reviews. All reviews are the opinions of those participating in the tasting and positive reviews are never guaranteed.
FTC Disclaimer: All samples are received free of charge but no payment is accepted by Tequila Aficionado or its agents for reviews. All reviews are the opinions of those participating in the tasting and positive reviews are never guaranteed.
never really die. Audio podcasting has been reinvented and is even more popular than ever.
Days before the El Cholo Tequila Tour, with help from the fine folks at 
In this episode of Tequila Aficionado’s Sipping Off the Cuff, Mike Morales and Dave Dinius taste and discuss Tequila 30-30 Reposado.
