Tequila Aficionado Media Reveals 2014 Brands of Promise™ Winners!

Awards Announced During a LIVE Google Hangout Telecast

For Immediate Release!

hangouts2March, 28, 2015, San Antonio, TX—In an unprecedented live Google Hangout telecast, Tequila Aficionado Media (TequilaAficionado.com) unveiled its Second Annual 2014 Brands Of Promise™ Award winners in Tequila, Mezcal and several other agave related categories.  A full list of Brands Of Promise™ winners can be viewed and downloaded here.

[Tweet “2014 Brands of Promise Winners Announced!”]

tequila awards, tequila aficionado, brands of promiseAmong the stellar labels recognized as Brands Of Promise™ award recipients, Trianon Tequila won the judges’ Best of Show Award, and Briscas Mezcal was recognized with a Gold medal for each of their expressions.  Gold was bestowed onto JLP Golden Lime Margarita in the Ready-To-Drink (RTD) category, as well.

Download the full list of nominees & winners here.

“The quality of the juice in 2014 was just outstanding,” crowed M. A. “Mike” Morales, CEO of Tequila Aficionado Media.

[Tweet “Congratulations to @TrianonTequila for winning Best of Show! #BOP2014”]

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“What a great year 2014 was!” agreed Alex Perez, Founder and Chairman of Tequila Aficionado.  “So much good juice.  So much good quality.  It is the best time for agave spirit aficionados.”

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Best in Show

“Man this was tough,” added Morales, referring to selecting medal winners.

All brands were judged by Perez and Morales, as well as by other Tequila Aficionado staff, on how they performed during Tequila Aficionado’s wildly popular Sipping Off The Cuff™ video series seen regularly on TequilaAficionado.com and viewable on its YouTube channel.

Unlike other spirits contests, The Brands Of Promise™ Awards does not require participating agave spirit brands to pay an entry fee.  It also does not charge winners additional hefty licensing tariffs for the rights to use the medal award graphics on their labels, neck tags, shelf talkers, brochures, point-of-sales materials and websites.

2014-08-11 15.09.09“Competition for shelf space and ‘share-of-mind’ is fierce in this business, especially when going up against more established brands with deep pockets,” admits Perez.  “Most new tequilas, and dozens of mezcals and other agave spirits, are virtually unknown to consumers,” he explains.  “That doesn’t mean that promising startups shouldn’t be recognized.”

“We’re not out to gouge anyone,” declares Morales.  “We understand that advertising budgets for emerging brands are always costly in the beginning.”

[Tweet “The Brands Of Promise™ Awards help brands by leveling the playing field with NO FEES”]

Morales adds, “Simply being nominated for the Brands Of Promise™ awards means that we deem each of these participating brands worthy of the public’s attention.”

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About Tequila Aficionado Media

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Since 1999

TequilaAficionado.com, (Tequila Aficionado Media) is the most comprehensive and informative source for tequila, mezcal, and sotol on the internet or in print today.

It has been the only online tequila magazine for the past 15 years and is visited by tequila aficionados in over 120 countries around the world.  It produces fresh audio, video, feature articles and other content, and successfully shares them throughout all of its powerful social networks for maximum exposure.

[Tweet “Tequila Aficionado: Introducing you to great tequila, mezcal & sotol for 15 years”]

About the Brands Of Promise™

If you would like to enter your tequila, mezcal, sotol or other agave spirit or related product in the coveted Brands Of Promise™ awards, click here.

If you would like additional publicity for your product or brand, simply click here for our current rates and special promotions.

Download the full list of nominees & winners here.

[Tweet “Enter the 2015 Brands of Promise now! Cutoff 1 Sep.”]

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Learn all about tequila from field to glass and then get paid to share your love of agave spirits with others! Buy Them Both Now!

Briscas Anejo Mezcal Review

Mike & Alex taste & discuss Briscas Mezcal Anejo and nominate it for the 2014 Brands of Promise Awards.

2014-08-11 15.09.09Briscas Añejo is our most refined mezcal.  Made from 100% Agave Espadin, Briscas Añejo contains a dark amber color appearance, aged to perfection for twelve months in oak barrels. It is produced in limited production.

Taste-  Smoky, dry with a note of edgy spice. Astonishing and complex, yet smooth appreciation that ranks among the finest distilled spirits in the world.

 

Find Briscas Mezcal Online & Facebook

Brands of Promise LIVE Broadcast

On Saturday, March 28, at 7:00 PM Central Time, the Tequila Aficionado 2014 Brands of Promise Award Winners will be announced LIVE online on Google Hangouts.

tequila awards, tequila aficionado, brands of promiseJoin Us on Google Hangouts

Click here to go to our event page and feel free to post questions prior to the event.

Brands of Promise, Changing the Game

The Tequila Aficionado Brands of Promise Awards were our response to a secondary industry that has sprouted up around awards programs in the spirits industry. In a very much pay-to-play world, Tequila Aficionado has changed the game.
Every brand that we review (free) each year is automatically entered in the Brands of Promise Awards at no cost. We nominate the brands that stand out among their peers and judge the nominees at the end of the year. The winners may just surprise you.

Join us for the live broadcast of the 2014 Brands of Promise Awards on March 28, 2015 at 5pm Pacific/7pm Central as our hosts M.A. “Mike” Morales and Alexander Perez share the Tequila Aficionado picks for the Platinum, Gold, Silver, and Bronze in the 2014 Brands of Promise Awards.

Find out more about the Brands of Promise Awards here.

See the full list of 2014 Nominees here.

RSVP for your front row seat here.

[Tweet “Tequila Aficionado 2014 Brands of Promise Live Awards on Google Hangouts Mar 28 @ 7:00 PM Central”]

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Learn all about tequila from field to glass and then get paid to share your love of agave spirits with others! Buy Them Both Now!

Briscas Reposado Mezcal Review

Mike & Alex taste & discuss Briscas Mezcal Reposado and nominate it for the 2014 Brands of Promise Awards.

briscas mezcalBriscas Reposado– is an exquisite mezcal that is matured in oak barrels for two months.  Made from 100% Agave Espadin, Briscas Reposado has a slight amber color in appearance that is created from a perfect blend of agave and oak.

Taste Amazingly complex smoky, spicy savor.  At 96 proof, astonishingly smooth, sensuous, and full-bodied that lingers with a delicate warming sensation.

Find Briscas Mezcal Online & Facebook

 

Brands of Promise LIVE Broadcast

On Saturday, March 28, at 7:00 PM Central Time, the Tequila Aficionado 2014 Brands of Promise Award Winners will be announced LIVE online on Google Hangouts.

Join Us on Google Hangouts

Click here to go to our event page and feel free to post questions prior to the event.

tequila awards, tequila aficionado, brands of promiseBrands of Promise, Changing the Game

The Tequila Aficionado Brands of Promise Awards were our response to a secondary industry that has sprouted up around awards programs in the spirits industry. In a very much pay-to-play world, Tequila Aficionado has changed the game.
Every brand that we review (free) each year is automatically entered in the Brands of Promise Awards at no cost. We nominate the brands that stand out among their peers and judge the nominees at the end of the year. The winners may just surprise you.

Join us for the live broadcast of the 2014 Brands of Promise Awards on March 28, 2015 at 5pm Pacific/7pm Central as our hosts M.A. “Mike” Morales and Alexander Perez share the Tequila Aficionado picks for the Platinum, Gold, Silver, and Bronze in the 2014 Brands of Promise Awards.

Find out more about the Brands of Promise Awards here.

See the full list of 2014 Nominees here.

RSVP for your front row seat here.

[Tweet “Tequila Aficionado 2014 Brands of Promise Live Awards on Google Hangouts Mar 28 @ 7:00 PM Central”]

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Learn all about tequila from field to glass and then get paid to share your love of agave spirits with others! Buy Them Both Now!

Briscas Blanco Mezcal Review

Mike & Alex taste & discuss Briscas Mezcal Blanco and nominate it for the 2014 Brands of Promise Awards.

 

briscas mezcalBriscas Blanco All superb mezcal starts with the best Silver or Blanco and ours is called Briscas Blanco. Made from 100% Agave Espadin, Briscas Blanco is clear in appearance and is the fresh distilled bottled without aging.

Taste- dry, with a very light smoky state that emerges and disappears.  At 96 proof, it is consistently smooth with a lingering heat.  It is perfect for a cocktail for a unique twist.

 

Find Briscas Mezcal Online & Facebook

 

 

tequila awards, tequila aficionado, brands of promiseBrands of Promise LIVE Broadcast

On Saturday, March 28, at 7:00 PM Central Time, the Tequila Aficionado 2014 Brands of Promise Award Winners will be announced LIVE online on Google Hangouts.

Join Us on Google Hangouts

Click here to go to our event page and feel free to post questions prior to the event.

Brands of Promise, Changing the Game

The Tequila Aficionado Brands of Promise Awards were our response to a secondary industry that has sprouted up around awards programs in the spirits industry. In a very much pay-to-play world, Tequila Aficionado has changed the game.
Every brand that we review (free) each year is automatically entered in the Brands of Promise Awards at no cost. We nominate the brands that stand out among their peers and judge the nominees at the end of the year. The winners may just surprise you.

Join us for the live broadcast of the 2014 Brands of Promise Awards on March 28, 2015 at 5pm Pacific/7pm Central as our hosts M.A. “Mike” Morales and Alexander Perez share the Tequila Aficionado picks for the Platinum, Gold, Silver, and Bronze in the 2014 Brands of Promise Awards.

Find out more about the Brands of Promise Awards here.

See the full list of 2014 Nominees here.

RSVP for your front row seat here.

[Tweet “Tequila Aficionado 2014 Brands of Promise Live Awards on Google Hangouts Mar 28 @ 7:00 PM Central”]

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Learn all about tequila from field to glass and then get paid to share your love of agave spirits with others! Buy Them Both Now!

The Texas Bar & Nightclub Alliance Convention

What’s New

The Texas Bar & Nightclub Alliance Convention successfully launched its first annual event at the Radisson Hotel & Suites in downtown Austin on August 10-11, 2014.

Primarily a show that serves the spirits industry (or trade) in Texas, for us at Tequila Aficionado Media, it was a chance to visit with new brands, products and services trying to break into the challenging Texas spirits market.

In this clip, Michael E. Klein, a spirits entrepreneur and long-time Austin businessman who spearheaded the formation of the alliance, explains its purpose.

What follows are some of the highlighted products that you should watch out for on Tequila Aficionado Media, in Texas, and beyond.

Briscas Mezcal2014-08-11 15.09.09

In the current booming mezcal market, more and more brands are appearing under the traditional higher alcoholic proofs that more established mezcals are known for.  Briscas is a refreshing libation that refuses to be confused with other gateway mezcal brands.

Ricardo Gonzales, Sales & Marketing Director for importer Moreno Spirits, gives us a quick rundown of the small batch espadín Briscas Mezcal.

Juan Moreno, President & CEO of Moreno Spirits, explains how bringing Briscas to market was a journey of discovery for himself and his family.

Surprises

The Texas Bar & Nightclub Alliance Convention was not without surprises for us at Tequila Aficionado Media.

Jason Kosmas, co-founder of the 86 Company.
Jason Kosmas, co-founder of the 86 Company.

Austin resident Jason Kosmas, co-founder of the celebrated The 86 Company responsible for a brilliant line of spirits with exacting quality like our Brands Of Promise(TM) Overproof Silver Medal winning Tequila Cabeza, made an appearance in support of the event.

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L-R: Mike Morales, Jason Kosmas, John Rivers

Also exhibiting in grand style was John L. Rivers IV (a.k.a.: Juan Rios), Managing Director of Julio Cesar Chavez Tequila, a new offering from the illustrious former boxing champion.

Not only did he share with us some of this fine sipping tequila and listed its current markets, but also an exclusive photo of a super piña in the champ’s agave fields.

[Spoiler Alert!  At press time, we had not notified John about our verdict of Julio Cesar Chavez Tequila’s review on a future Sipping Off The Cuff(TM), but we let the cat out of the bag, here….]

Mixing and Matching

2014-08-11 16.02.19One of the more exciting and refreshing combos we discovered at the Texas Nightclub & Bar Alliance Convention was between Pablo Madrigali, Brand Manager with Mexcor International and Lucy Corona, co-founder of Slim Ritas, the 100 calorie fresh juice margarita mix.

Mexcor, a family owned business based in Houston, TX, has been the importer of crowd pleasing tequilas at reasonable prices from Destiladora del Valle de Tequila (NOM 1438)  for several years, including El Reformador, Cava de los Morales and Agavales.

Lucy Corona is a dynamic and spirited mother and business owner whose dream after giving birth to her children was to enjoy a satisfying and natural margarita.  So she made them herself!

Here, Rob Corona explains the birth of SlimRitas.

Here, Pablo gives a bit of Mexcor’s and Agavales’ history, and how he and Lucy joined forces.

One To Watch

2014-08-11 14.35.19 michael kleinMichael E. Klein has handed the reigns of planning future conventions to the team at San Antonio based SMC Events, and it looks to expand the tradeshow’s reach even further with more products and services participating.

Judging from the contagious energy coming from the booths of other exhibitors at the first annual Texas Nightclub & Bar Alliance Convention, the promise of bigger yearly events looks to be a sure thing.

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Learn all about tequila from field to glass and then get paid to share your love of agave spirits with others! Buy Them Both Now!