Double Life
Emilio De Soto is not only the Maestro Tequilero of overproof tequila Dos Almas blanco and its stablemate, Dos Almas Cinnamon Liqueur, but he is also the founder of a sportswear company.
Following a severe surfing accident, Emilio was inspired by water polo competitors and swimmers while enduring his own grueling physical therapy. Eventually, De Soto became a competitive triathlete.
De Soto Sport Triathalon Company grew out of a need for versatile clothing for triathletes. And Dos Almas sprang out of a need for a tasty beverage among these extreme super competitors after races.
Farmer and The Seahorse
An avid outdoorsman, Emilio and his family frequently take camping trips. Aware that we were on our Wild Wild West Tour in our own “mobile command center” (camper), De Soto chose to meet with us at a scenic bar and restaurant called Farmer and the Seahorse.
A multi-cuisine restaurant owned by celebrity chef, Brian Malarkey, this new farm to table eatery is nestled in the lovely Torrey Pines neighborhood of La Jolla, California.
We were joined by certified Catador (tequila taster) and Director of Food and Beverage for Farmer and the Seahorse, Green Acre Campus Pointe and Green Acre Nautilus, Chris Simmons.
Inside a converted vintage Airstream trailer/meeting room, we taped an in-depth discussion of all things Dos Almas.
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In His Own Words
[*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.]
In this segment, we cover Emilio’s background, what drove him to concoct his earlier versions of Dos Almas, its high proof flavor profile, and even the types of ideal glassware used for tequila events at the restaurant.
A Matter of Endurance
Of Cuban decent, Emilio De Soto is a man of many passions.
He admitted that as a young man bussing tables at a restaurant, he was exposed to fine sipping tequilas long before it became fashionable. That passion has stayed with him all his life.
Despite some surprises on the retail side of the spirits industry, Emilio is a staunch believer in the long game. He knows full well that endurance and persistence pay off.
The Convergence of Two Worlds
In this portion of our interview, De Soto discusses where he sees himself and Dos Almas in five years; the intricate process that goes into Dos Almas Cinnamon Liqueur, and the explanation behind the name and artwork of Dos Almas.
As an added bonus, De Soto manages to creatively combine parts of his sportswear business with Dos Almas by designing a handy carrying sling made from limestone instead of the traditional neoprene.
A Close-Knit Agave Community
Echoing similar sentiments about the importance of disseminating education to an agave information-starved audience, Chris Simmons has recently branched out on his own.
Sipping Life offers the world of Tequila, Mezcal and other Mexican spirits through an exciting array of enrichment opportunities that include tastings, tours, education and consulting.
Tequila’s Ironman
With humbleness and graciousness, along with guidance and encouragement from Simmons and others in the close-knit agave community, Emilio De Soto and Dos Almas is destined to be Tequila’s Ironman in the often challenging spirits race to the top shelf.
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Most notable about Chef Fuentes’ menu was that it strayed from the typical Mexican flavors normally paired with tequila.
The third course proved hard to follow, and the fourth course, a Puerto Nuevo-style lobster, came out a bit overcooked—likely due to difficulty choreographing and timing such an ambitious plate for so many guests. It’s pairing with Don Fulano Imperial was rather “ho-hum,” but I found that pairing the Imperial with the course’s side of roasted corn was a surprisingly good marriage of food and tequila, and this helped salvage the course and bump up the score a bit.
