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Embajador Blanco Tequila Review [Transcript en Espanol]

January 2, 2019June 12, 2018 by Lisa Pietsch

Spanish (English) Transcript of Sipping Off the Cuff with White Tequila Ambassador

Click here for transcript in English

ALEX: I’m Alex Pérez.

MIKE: I’m Mike Morales.

ALEX: Y están viendo Sipping off the Cuff en TequilaAficionado punto com.

MIKE: ¿Qué tenemos esta noche?

ALEX: Parece que las botellas de tequila se están apoderando del set.

MIKE: ¿Te da la sensación de que estamos siendo invadidos por un poco de tequila hermoso?

ALEX: Nos está invadiendo.

MIKE: Échenle una mirada a la presentación, por cierto, esto es, Embajador Tequila.

ALEX: Hermosa presentación.

MIKE: Hermosa presentación, y para aquellos de ustedes que no sepan español, significa embajador Tequila. A medida que avancemos en esta cata, les daremos una idea de qué se tratan los gráficos. Pero miren, tenemos todas las 3 variedades, tenemos las 3 marcas; el blanco, el reposado, y el añejo. Vamos a hacer cada uno de estos individualmente, pero, queríamos darles una buena idea de cómo se van a ver las botellas.

ALEX: Concentrémonos en, El blanco.

MIKE: El blanco.

MIKE: Cada caja tiene una historia de dónde provienen los símbolos, de qué se tratan. Esta es una marca familiar. Todos los que hacen parte de esta marca son familia. He conocido a la joven pareja, Andrés García y su esposa, quienes están distribuyendo e importando. Andrés tiene antecedentes con el alcohol, trabajó para un distribuidor en el sur de California. La familia de su esposa está involucrada con este tequila. Y entonces, él está de nuevo, desde las raíces con esta marca en particular. Pero, échenle una mirada a esa presentación.

ALEX: La presentación, es increíble. Es increíble.

MIKE: Es hermosa, ¿no? Una botella muy gruesa.

ALEX: Sí, una botella resistente.

MIKE: Un corcho sintético, y el blanco, solo para darles un poco de información, es de Atotonilco, por lo que es un Tequila de las Tierras Altas de NOM 1509. Lo que entendí cuando hablé con la joven pareja, es que en un momento dado, estuvieron conversando con María Romero Mena, quien es una maravillosa Maestra Tequilera. No estoy seguro si ella está trabajando con ellos o no, pero ella ha evaluado este Tequila; pensó que fue muy prometedor. Entonces hemos servido previamente el blanco. Lo interesante es que es un blanco con doble destilado

ALEX: Con doble destilación.

MIKE: Lo reposan en tanques de acero inoxidables, por lo que reposa unos 40 días antes de que decidan embotellarlo. Vamos a echarle un vistazo ahora. Esta muy limpio. Es un blanco bien limpio. Como se puede ver con la botella, van a poder notar lo que se llevan, cuando apenas miren a la botella. Las calcomanías, los gráficos son, por supuesto, calcomanías aplicadas. Y…

ALEX: Es lindo.

Sipping Off the Cuff | Ambassador Tequila Blanco [Transcript in Spanish] https://wp.me/p3u1xi-5Lh — Embajador tequila.

MIKE: Muy buenas lágrimas, muy simple. Oh sí, muy agradables.

ALEX: Huele bien.

MIKE: Tiene unas lágrimas ricas.

ALEX: Sí, disculpe, yo ya pasé lo de las lágrimas, pero sí.

MIKE: Se ve bien.

ALEX: Tiene una buena claridad. Sí, tiene algunas buenas lágrimas densas. Y el aroma de esto es muy …

MIKE: Uau, uau, uau, eso es diferente. Es realmente aromático. Pero, sabes que es un tequila de las tierras altas, así que será floral. Las notas nos dicen que es…

ALEX: Estás un poco perdido, Mike.

MIKE: Hay notas herbales, sí, estoy un poco perdido, pero creo que estoy encantado con las notas.

ALEX: Lo que es bueno, es que nos han mandado buena información. Estaban muy bien preparados sobre lo que están haciendo. Pero…

MIKE: Este es un tequila de Pago.

ALEX: Un tequila de Pago, es un aroma muy refinado. Hay algunos indicios de hierbas, uh, siento un poco de menta. Y pues dicen que tiene algo de menta allí.

MIKE: Frutas, flores y hierbas, y al principio sentí cítricos y ahora estoy sintiendo algunas flores.

ALEX: Es una aroma realmente complejo, uau. Deberían probar esto cuando estén sorbiendo Tequilas especialmente en un vaso como este. Definitivamente quieren, ya saben, tiran el vaso de las tres formas y haces las cosas divertidas que Mike está haciendo en este momento.

MIKE: Voy del lóbulo izquierdo, al derecho, entonces, me verás cambiar de un lado a otro.

ALEX: Y realmente serán capaces de sentir los matices, porque a veces dirán, “sí, podemos oler esto” y se dirán, “¿qué?¨. Y eso es porque realmente estamos buscando cualquier tipo de matiz que podamos encontrar y anunciar.

MIKE: Este vaso que estamos usando, realmente se presta para poder girar casi planamente hacia los lados. Porque a veces, es realmente lo que se necesita hacer para sentir algunas de las capas del Tequila dependiendo de la complejidad.

ALEX: Y eso es.

MIKE: No tengas miedo de –

ALEX: Es una aroma muy refrescante.

MIKE: Sí, ¡uau!

ALEX: Como un aroma muy limpio y fresco.

MIKE: Es vívido.

ALEX: Cítrico, sí, cítrico.

MIKE: Es realmente vívido.

ALEX: Cítrico.

MIKE: Lo voy a probar.

ALEX: Sí, literalmente se me hace agua la boca. Uau, una escupidera.

MIKE: Lo siento, estamos escupiendo como es nuestra costumbre. Estamos haciendo mucho de esto esta noche y si están haciendo vuelos en casa, les recomendamos que no tengan miedo de escupir, beber y escupir.

MIKE: Hombre, hay un circo herbal en mi boca. Hay algunas cosas realmente buenas pasando allí. La complejidad del aroma realmente se traduce en la boca.

ALEX: Hay muchas cosas sucediendo allí.

MIKE: Hay una complejidad con este Tequila.

ALEX: Estoy tratando de identificar los diferentes sabores que hay en mi boca. Es muy agradable, como que realmente cubre el paladar muy bien. Tiene casi como un sabor dulce.

MIKE: Un poco de canela, en el perfil de sabor.

ALEX: Por el lado candente.

MIKE: Sí, sí, sí. No siento tanto pimienta, pero canela sí.

ALEX: Hay un poco de dulzura en mi paladar. Un blanco muy, muy agradable.

MIKE: Uau, estoy impresionado.

ALEX: Es muy agradable, estoy emocionado de probar sus otros sabores.

MIKE: Sí, nuevamente, esto es un negocio familiar. Una marca familiar. Todos los involucrados, desde Andrés y su esposa, hasta las personas que manejan sus redes sociales, son todos familiares. Cada símbolo que ven en la botella representa algo que la familia ha usado como sus marcas registradas. Por ejemplo, el ojo que ven aquí, justo ahí. Quizás puedan verlo si puedo acercarme más. Eso se llama, sí, el ojo es un símbolo de marca de hierro creado por el abuelo del propietario en la década de 1930 para marcar su ganado principal.

Entonces, ven las plumas aquí, las llaman “los pinachos”, es un sombrero hecho de plumas y es usado por los indígenas de México. Por lo que, distingue a las clases altas. Así que, de inmediato saben dónde quieren colocar este Tequila. Y, por supuesto, esta es la versión de Mayahuel en la parte de atrás y todos sabemos que ella es la diosa de, ya sabes, la fertilidad y representante del agave en general. Amigos, esto es un Tequila 100% de agave. Es una buena presentación, bonita, una botella muy elegante, muy sustancial y el Tequila, creo que también es muy sustancial.

ALEX: Es un blanco excelente.

MIKE: Sí, creo que es una Marca de Promesa para Tequila Aficionado.

ALEX: Definitivamente.

MIKE: I’m very impressed, this is a, I think it’s really representative of the Atotonilco area. So, if you see this brand, I know it’s available, and hopefully soon in Southern California. I think it’s also available in Texas too and, if I’m not mistaken, in Arizona as well. So, it’s a growing brand. Support these people. Take a look at your Facebook and Twitter, have accounts on Facebook and Twitter. Really exciting, I’m excited.

ALEX: I like it.

MIKE: I’m pleasantly surprised, and I’m Mike Morales.

ALEX: And Alex Perez, look for Ambassador Tequila out there. And they’ve been watching Sipping off the Cuff on TequilaAficionado.com. And, as always, take wisely.

[Tweet “Spanish (Spanish) Transcript of Sipping Off the Cuff with White Tequila Ambassador”]

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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!

Embajador Anejo Tequila Review [Transcript]

January 5, 2019July 26, 2017 by Lisa Pietsch

Watch the original video here

ALEX: I´m Alex Perez.

MIKE: I´m Mike Morales.

ALEX: And you are watching Sipping Off the Cuff on Tequila Aficionado dot com.

MIKE: Yes, and we´ve got Anejo Embajador. Anejo for those of you who´ve heard of this.

ALEX: Third of the series.

MIKE: Third of the series. You´ve seen us do the blanco, the reposado, if you´ve been watching the series consistently you know we´ve been singing its praises. The blanco outstanding, the reposado –

ALEX: Outstanding.

MIKE: – sings. And now, we´re going to do the anejo. This is an anejo that, according to their flavor notes, is an 18-month anejo in American Oak Barrels. And again, look at the color on this thing; deep, dark, gold.

ALEX: Beautiful color.

MIKE: Yeah. Just enough to make it interesting. Again, I´m going to prejudge and say this is probably a virgin American Oak Barrel but you know….

ALEX: Why would you say that?

MIKE: Well, because of the color. And it´s an 18-month. I, I don´t think it´s a used barrel just because the color is so deep and rich.

ALEX: It´s got a beautiful, deep, gold color.

MIKE: Nice legs on this one, too. Really pleasant looking viscosity on that. Very nice curtain of tears all the way along.

ALEX: Ooooh. It´s got a beautiful nose.

MIKE: Wow, wow, wow, wow, wow.

ALEX: Mmm! Beautiful nose. Now when you´re smelling a spirit like this, you don´t want to dig your nose in there, but just try to see what you can catch just by moving the glass in front of your nose.

MIKE: Of course, we´re using tequila glasses, these are our tools for specifically for tasting, and serving in most cases, and it´s very elegant as you can see.

ALEX: Got the sweet agave tones, a lot of caramel, vanilla. It´s got a beautiful nose. (swishing the glass in a circular motion) Now we do this to try to open up the tequila, to get some oxygen going in there.

MIKE: This is not like some of the other tequilas that you may have seen us taste, where they artificially oxygenate the tequila. It´s a process where they actually shoot oxygen or air into it to smooth it out. This is only a double distilled tequila, it is a highlands tequila, from Atotonilco, same area as Siete Leguas, for those of you who follow regions and terroir.

ALEX: Mmm, beautiful nose.

MIKE: Wow. You know, you still don´t lose that agave flavor though. I´m really impressed with the fact that so far every varietal that we´re tasting, you get that from that agave.

ALEX: In the blanco, the reposado, the agave really shines through.

MIKE: Yeah.

ALEX: Because, you really don´t want to mask that. That´s really what you´re starting with when you´re making a tequila like this.

MIKE: And it is a single estate tequila, so it´s not sourced from other areas. This is a family-owned brand; you may have heard us talk about earlier in some of the earlier podcasts that this is a family-owned brand, Andres Garcia and his wife are spear-heading the effort and it is all family-run now, all the way down to their social media. And – have we tasted it yet?

ALEX: Not yet. Beautiful amber color.

MIKE: Yeah.

ALEX: I said gold before but it´s more of an amber.

MIKE: Well, it´s very shiny. I mean there are some…

ALEX: Chiny?

MIKE: It´s chiny.

ALEX: (laughing) I´m going to taste it.

MIKE: Like a polished gold. It´s really pretty.

ALEX: Mmm.

MIKE: (gargling noises)

ALEX: Wow. Very nice.

MIKE: We are spitting folks, sorry. Excuse us. Ooh! Nice lingering finish on that too, huh? It coats the pallet really well.

ALEX: It´s got some really good structure. It´s got a good punch also, for an anejo.

MIKE: Yeah it´s –

ALEX: Which we saw it coming through the blanco.

MIKE: The blanco was, it did not – it was not a tame blanco. You may have heard us mention some other brands that we´ve tried before that where it´s very tame on the way in, but no, this is… I don´t want to call it in your face but, this is a –

ALEX: Got a nice finish.

MIKE: It certainly tells you there´s no mistaking what it is – this is tequila! And it´s a highlands tequila.

ALEX: Very nice.

MIKE: Wow, and you do get some – it says you- the flavor notes are again, caramel, vanilla, and coffee. And I think with the anejo I start to get more of the coffee and almost a little bit of tobacco on the nose.

ALEX: Well, you´re – I´m getting a lot a bit of coffee. Very nice.

MIKE: Wow, this is a great after dinner anejo. I wouldn´t waste this on a cocktail. This, you serve it as-is, just like this, in a nice snifter or –

ALEX: Maybe even on the rocks.

MIKE: On the rocks, very possibly, with American Oak, you´ll be having those additives those natural additives to it.

ALEX: Especially if you get one of those globes of ice that melt real slowly.

MIKE: Oh, okay that doesn´t water it down, just chills it a little bit.

ALEX: Water it down, yeah.

MIKE: Just chills it a little bit, yeah.

ALEX: You can usually buy those molds and you get a nice…

MIKE: In fact, if any of you companies out there watching actually manufacture one, talk to us.

ALEX: Send us one.

MIKE: Send us one.

ALEX: Send us some so we can try it.

MIKE: Send us, yeah. We´ll talk. (laughing)

ALEX: Boy, I´m impressed with this life.

MIKE: You know, i´ll be honest just for the sake of transparency. When I had this tequila before, I´ve had it in champagne snifters. And again, we´ll probably do a Sipping Off the Cuff with glassware. Everybody should have a different arsenal and I´m limited to where I´m at right now, with the glassware that I have and it´s mostly champagne flutes. The champagne flutes do not do this tequila justice. You really need one that will, that lends itself to tasting. And this is a completely different juice than what I had earlier.

ALEX: Because of the glass.

MIKE: Because of the glass.

ALEX: It – it´s amazing what the – by using the proper tools the type of effect or the outcome that you´re going to get out of the experience.

MIKE: Yes. Do yourself a favor, you know, glassware is very important and if you´re delving more and more into what tequila nuances are, get the right tools. I can´t stress that enough. You don´t have to use this one, you know there are similar ones that are out there that are very comparable. But, I´ve got to tell you, in a proper glass, this tequila just shines. Just shines. I think we´ve got another contender for Brands of Promise.

ALEX: Most definitely. I´m very impressed with the entire Embajador line. Yeah.

MIKE: Andres Garcia and the family have done a wonderful job with this tequila. It´s really well worth an effort to find it. I believe it´s available in Arizona and some places in Southern California, and I believe Texas. Look ´em up on Facebook and Twitter. You can find it, you´ll see their dot com a little bit later on.

Sipping Off the Cuff | Embajador Tequila Anejo [Transcript] http://wp.me/p3u1xi-59R — Shhh…Embajador is resting.

ALEX: You´ll probably see this.

MIKE: Yes.

ALEX: This is what the tequila bottle goes in, or comes in I should say.

MIKE: Nice presentation to us, very elegant.

ALEX: From the US:

MIKE: Beautiful, beautiful POS. They´re very open and forthcoming with information. Find them! It´s very good. I´m Mike Morales.

ALEX: You can find them at http://www.embajadortequila.com/

MIKE: There you go.

ALEX: And I´m Alex Perez, and you´ve been watching Sipping Off the Cuff at Tequila Aficionado dot com. And as we always say…

MIKE: Sip wisely.

ALEX: Sip wisely.

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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!

Embajador Reposado Tequila Review [Transcript]

January 5, 2019May 21, 2017 by Lisa Pietsch

See the original video review of Tequila Embajador Reposado here.

Alex Perez: Hi there, I’m Alex Perez.

Mike Morales: I am Mike Morales.

Alex Perez: And you are watching Sipping off the Cuff on TequilaAficionado.com and we’re continuing our series.

Mike Morales: Yes in Embajador which in Spanish means Ambassador. Again it is a family owned brand, fairly new. I think it is about ready to be picked up in Southern California and it is available in Arizona and parts of Texas.

Alex Perez: We tasted the Blanco which we were impressed by.

Mike Morales: Pleasantly surprised. I think that it would be a good Brand of Promise nominee for the Blanco category from us at Tequila Aficionado and now we have got the Reposado. So what we know about the Reposado is, let me look at my/our notes here.

Alex Perez: Handy dandy notes.

Mike Morales: My handy dandy notes from these folks. A wonderful couple, Andres Garcia and his wife. Everybody involved in the tequila is family including the folks who are taking care of the social media as well so reach out, say “Hi” to them. They are very accessible. This is a premium Reposado and it has rested for eight months in American oak barrels. So it is an eight month Reposado which means that they are not, this has got a really deep colouring though. It has like a golden color.

Alex Perez: It has a nice gold color to it and you saw me earlier sneaking a little smell. It smells really good.

Mike Morales: Yeah, we were very pleasantly surprised with the Blanco. Just for the sake of transparency I have had the Blanco before in champagne flutes and I did not get the notes that I got from using our tools here, our Tequila Glasses.

Alex Perez: It has got some nice legs, some nice viscosity to the tequila. And the nose, you got caramel.

Mike Morales: But you know what though. You are not losing. There is agave in there. You are not losing, it is coming through, yes. It is very prominent. Wow, oh yeah, but there is that caramel for sure.

Alex Perez: There’s other goodies in there.

Mike Morales: The Blanco was spicy, herbal and citrusy so what I got just in the nose itself was the agave citrus notes.

Alex Perez: There is supposed to be some other, it might be a little bit of banana now. I don’t know if you get that.

Banana. Mmm.

Mike Morales: Did you taste it already?

Mike Morales: Mmm. (Laughs) Excuse me while I spit.

Alex Perez: Wow, that is a nice Reposado.

Mike Morales: According to the notes there is vanilla, caramel, maple and coffee. I didn’t get any coffee but I did get the maple.

Alex Perez: Definitely the maple.

Mike Morales: Vanilla for sure and caramel right off the bat actually but what I was really impressed with is that there was still the agavic characteristics that we pointed out in the blanco are still prominent. I think it is pretty well balanced, don’t you?

Alex Perez: Well balanced and the taste is still lingering in my mouth so it has got a nice long taste to it. It is very pleasant Reposado.

Mike Morales: Now, Alex got some banana.

Alex Perez: I got some banana in the nose.

Mike Morales: It claims to have…

Alex Perez: There is something else in there.

Mike Morales: It claims to have cherry, lime. I got more citrus from it than I got the banana but it was, I recognised it right after that because it was the same bouquet that I got from the Blanco. There is really good complexity on this tequila.

Alex Perez: Beautiful nose and the mouth feel is just amazing.

Mike Morales: Wow here we go. For those of you aficionados who are a little more advanced and are aware of regions and terroir I would say this is a really good interpretation of the Atotonilco area, Atotonilco micro climate or the highlands.

Alex Perez: Very nice.

Mike Morales: Yeah it is really beautifully balanced too because if you look at the color sometimes you might think that the barrel might take over but it really does not.

Alex Perez: Got a beautiful nose. I can taste the vanilla and maple in the mouth.

Mike Morales: American oak barrels. I would venture to say at this point and I don’t have verification of this but we have been through the safeties of virgin barrels only because of the colour of the Reposado but I will verify that probably when we do the text, when we do the follow up, which will probably be done by Ryan Kelly who writes a lot of our reviews for us at TequilaAficionado.com but wow again a surprise. A surprise for me.

Alex Perez: Definitely a contender.

Mike Morales: Another Brand of Promise contender for Reposado category. Embajador Tequila you will be able to find it I’m sure in Arizona, hopefully soon in southern California, I know they are working on it at this time we are filming they are working on that and parts of Texas as well so look for it. It is definitely a great sipping tequila and worth your time and effort to find it.

I am Mike Morales.

Alex Perez: And Alex Perez.

You are watching “Sipping off the cuff” we are trying Embajadhor Tequila. It is for us a nominee for Brand a Promise and as always, sip wisely.

Sipping off the Cuff | Embajador Blanco / Transcript

Sipping off the Cuff | Embajador Tequila Reposado

Sipping off the Cuff | Embajador Tequila Anejo

Follow Embajador Tequila online: Facebook | Pinterest | Instagram | Twitter

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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!

Embajador Blanco Tequila Review [Transcript]

January 5, 2019March 27, 2017 by Lisa Pietsch

Watch the original video review here.

Alex Perez: I am Alex Perez

Mike Morales: I am Mike Morales

Alex Perez: And you are watching Sipping off the Cuff on TequilaAficionado.com.

Mike Morales: What have we got tonight?

Alex Perez: It looks like the Tequila bottles are taking over the set.

Mike Morales: Do you get the feeling that we are getting crowded out by some beautiful Tequila.

Alex Perez: We are getting crowded

Mike Morales: Take a look at the presentation, this is by the way, Embajador Tequila

Alex Perez: Beautiful presentation

Mike Morales: Beautiful presentation, for those of you who are Espanically impaired, it means ambassador Tequila. As we go through this tasting, we will give you some idea of what the graphics are all about. But take a look at, we have all 3 varieties, we have all 3 marks. We are going to do each of these individually. But, we wanted to show it all to get a good look at what the bottles will look like.

Alex Perez: Let us focus on, El blanco

Mike Morales: El blanco.

Mike Morales: Every box has a story of where the symbols come from, what they are all about. This is a family owned brand. Everybody involved in this brand is family. I have met the young couple that, Andres Garcia and his wife that are distributing and importing. Andres has an alcohol background, worked for a distributor in Southern California. His wife’s family are involved in this Tequila. And so, he is again, on the grassroots with this particular brand.

But, take a look at that presentation.

Alex Perez: Presentation, it is awesome. It’s awesome.

Mike Morales: Isn’t that beautiful, very substantial bottle.

Alex Perez: Heavy duty bottle, yeah.

Mike Morales: Synthetic cork, and the blanco, just to give you some information on this, it is from Atotonilco, so it is a highlands Tequila from 1509. My understanding when I spoke to the young couple, that at one point they were in conversations with Maria Romero Mena who is a wonderful Maestra Tequilera. I am not sure if she is working with them, but she has scrutinised this Tequila.

So, they had a lot of promise, so we have pre-poured the blanco. The interesting thing is, double distilled blanco.

Alex Perez: Double distilled.

Mike Morales: They rest it in stainless steel tanks, so it is rested about 40 days before they decide to bottle it. We are going to take a look at it now. It is very clean. It is a nice clean blanco, as you can see from the bottle. You will be able to tell what you are getting when you take a look at this bottle.

The decals, the graphics are of course applied decals. And,

Alex Perez: Good looking

Mike Morales: Very nice tears, very simple. Oh, yeah very nice.

Alex Perez: Smells good.

Mike Morales: It has got some rich tears.

Alex Perez: Yeah, I am sorry, I am past the tears already, but yes it does.

Mike Morales: Looks nice.

Alex Perez: It has got some good clarity in it. Yeah, has got some nice thick tears. And the nose on this is very…

Mike Morales: Wow, wow, wow, that is different. It is really aromatic. But, you know it is a highlands Tequila so it will be floral, the notes tell us that this is.

Alex Perez: You’re lost Mike, you are lost here.

Mike Morales: There are herbal notes, yeah I am a little lost, but, I think I am enchanted by the notes.

Alex Perez: What is nice, they sent us some good information. They were pretty well prepared on what they are doing. But,

Mike Morales: This is a single estate Tequila also,

Alex Perez: Single estate Tequila, it is a very refined nose. Get some hints of herbs, ooh, I have got a little bit of mint. Which they do say, it has got some mint in there.

Mike Morales: Fruits, floral and herbs and I got some citrus in it at the beginning and now I am getting some flowers.

Alex Perez: It is a real complex nose, wow. You should try this when you are sipping Tequilas especially in a glass like this. You definitely want to, you know, you tip the glass all three ways and do the funny stuff that Mike is doing right now.

Mike Morales: I go left brain, right brain, so, you will see me switch from one side to the other.

Alex Perez: And you will really be able to get the nuances, because sometimes you will say, “yeah, we can smell this” and you are like, “what?”

And that is because we are really seeking for any type of nuance that we can find and announce.

Mike Morales: This glass that we are using, really lends itself to be able to turn sideways almost flat. Because at times, it is really what it takes to get something from the layers of the Tequila depending on the complexity.

Alex Perez: And so that is

Mike Morales: Do not be afraid to

Alex Perez: It is a very refreshing nose.

Mike Morales: Yeah, wow!

Alex Perez: Like a real fresh clean nose.

Mike Morales: It is bright.

Alex Perez: Citrus, yeah, citrus.

Mike Morales: it is really bright.

Alex Perez: Citrus.

Mike Morales: I am tasting it.

Alex Perez: Yeah, my mouth is actually watering. Wow, spittoon.

Mike Morales: I am sorry, we are spitting as is our custom. We are doing a lot of these tonight and if you are doing flights at home, we recommend that you do not be afraid to spit and sip and spit.

Mike Morales: There is like a herbal circus in my mouth, man. There is some really neat stuff going on in there. The complexity of the nose really translates to the mouth.

Alex Perez: There is a lot going on in there.

Mike Morales: There is a complexity with this Tequila

Alex Perez: I am trying to pinpoint the different flavors there in my mouth. It is very pleasant, like really coats the palate very well. It has almost like a sweet taste to it.

Mike Morales: Little bit of cinnamon, I am getting on the flavor profile.

Alex Perez: On the hot side.

Mike Morales: Yeah, yeah, yeah. I am not getting much pepper, but I am getting cinnamon.

Alex Perez: I got some sweetness on my palate. Very pleasant blanco.

Mike Morales: Wow, I am impressed.

Alex Perez: It is very nice, I am excited to taste their other flavors.

Mike Morales: Yeah this is again, it is a family run business. Family owned brand, everybody involved from Andres’s wife, to the people that handle their social media, is all family. Every symbol that you see on the bottle represents something that the family has used as their trademarks. For instance, the eye here you see, right up in there. Maybe you will be able to see it if I can get any closer. That is called the, yeah the eye is a branding iron symbol created by the owner’s grandfather in the 1930’s to brand his cattle.

So, you see the feathers here, they call it the pinachos, is a headgear that is made of feathers and it is worn among the indigenous people of Mexico. So, it distinguishes the upper classes. So, right away you know where they want to place this Tequila.

And of course, this is the version of Mayahuel in the back and we all know that she is the goddess of, you know, fertility and representative of agave in general. This is 100% agave Tequila folks.

It is a nice, nice presentation, very elegant bottle, very substantial and the Tequila, I think is very substantial also.

Alex Perez: It is an excellent blanco.

Mike Morales: Yeah, I think it is a Brand of Promise for Tequila Aficionado.

Alex Perez: Most definitely.

Mike Morales: I am very impressed, this is a, I think it is really a good representative of the Atotonilco area. So, if you see this brand, I know it is available, hopefully soon in Southern California. I believe it is available in Texas also and if I am not mistaken, Arizona as well.

So, it is a growing brand, support these people, take a look at them on facebook and Twitter. Really exciting, I am excited.

Alex Perez: I like it.

Mike Morales: I am really pleasantly surprised, and I am Mike Morales.

Alex Perez: And Alex Perez, look for Embajador Tequila out there and you have been watching Sipping off the Cuff on TequilaAficionado.com. And, as always, sip wisely.

Sipping off the Cuff | Embajador Tequila Reposado

Sipping off the Cuff | Embajador Tequila Anejo

Follow Embajador Tequila online: Facebook | Pinterest | Instagram | Twitter

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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!

Happy Valentine’s Day from Embajador Tequila

January 3, 2019February 14, 2017 by Lisa Pietsch

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Have you ever wondered what to pair with tequila for a Valentine’s celebration? Embajador Tequila has put together a Pinterest board to help you with surprising your Valentine, or maybe just treating yourself and friends, to some delightful holiday pairings.

If you’ve had Embajador, you’ll know that the orange groves surrounding their estate owned agave fields show themselves in the nose and flavor profile of Embajador Tequila. For this reason, one of the easiest pairings with Embajador is anything that includes cinnamon or cloves – like churros! Check out this pin to make these beauties to the right.

If you’re an oak head and prefer Embajador’s anejo, aged in Bourbon barrels, then we heartily suggest pairing with chocolate and/or caramel flavors. The combination is one you’re sure to love!

Are you looking for a quick but amazing Valentine’s Day gift you can pick up at a moment’s notice?

Try a bottle of Embajador Anejo and a box of chocolate turtles!

If you’d like to make the turtles to the left, click here.

If you prefer Reposado, then we might suggest a white chocolate mousse garnished with raspberries. The flavors and textures in each will marry well for a delicious treat.

Click here for the recipe to the right.

For the purist who loves the fresh light flavors in Embajador Blanco or a Valentine that prefers to eat healthy or has a restrictive nutrition plan, we suggest combining Embajador Blanco with a heart shaped fruit platter. This one comes with an orange cream recipe for dipping.

No matter which expression of Embajador you choose to pair with tonight, we’re certain your Valentine will love you for it!

Click on the image below to visit the Embajador Tequila Pinboard for Valentine’s Day. There are pairing suggestions to fit every palate. Whether you’re looking for a last minute gift or something to celebrate a special occasion, these are all winners. While you’re there, check out their margarita pinboard for National Margarita Day next week!

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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!

Christmas Panettone with Embajador Tequila Recipe

January 3, 2019December 24, 2016 by Lisa Pietsch

If you’ve tasted Embajador Tequila then you know that there’s always just a hint of orange. If you’ve visited the Embajador Distillery then you’ll know why. Orange groves surround their agave fields. It is because of this unique and very intentional terroir that Embajador Tequila pairs exceptionally well with orange, cloves, cinnamon, and Christmas!

That’s exactly why I chose to create a Panettone (traditional Italian Christmas bread) with Embajador instead of brandy. In case you’re wondering, It is delicious!

Assemble the following ingredients in a bread machine (or bowl if you prefer Old World ways):

1/4 Teaspoon Salt
1/3 Cup Water
1/2 Cup Sugar
6 Eggs
1/2 Cup Softened Butter
1.5 Teaspoons Orange Peel
3 Tablespoons Embajador Anejo
3.5 Cups Flour
3 Teaspoons Yeast
1 Cup Mixed Dried Fruit (I used Cranberry, Raisin, and Date)

I ran this on the Dough cycle so I could bake in a pan in the oven, but this will bake up just as easily in the bread machine. If you choose the machine, run it on a regular 2lb loaf cycle. If you choose the oven, bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.

Christmas Panettone with Embajador Tequila Recipe http://wp.me/p3u1xi-4vl — A cross section of the light, fluffy, melt-in-your-mouth goodness of Embajador Panettone.

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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!

USA Today 10 Best Current Leaderboard for Best Craft Tequila Brand

January 3, 2019August 25, 2016 by Lisa Pietsch

“This is your tequila bucket list.”

~ Rick Levy of Tequila Aficionado

If you’ve seen Mike Morales’ article on the Top 20 Craft Tequilas you’ve overlooked then you’ll understand that picking one (or even 10) from this list is like picking your favorite child. It’s too difficult to do, so your best bet is to vote twice a day for your favorites and spend the rest of your time sipping all of them.

Congratulations to all the nominees. If Mike could pick a top 50 list, it still wouldn’t be enough. Thank you to all the wonderful brands out there who are constantly striving to produce the finest tequilas they can. We love you all!

In order to be called tequila, this spirit distilled from the juices blue agave must be made in specific regions of Mexico, most prominently Jalisco and the town of tequila. While no tequilas are produced in the United States, we want to find the best craft tequila brands available in the country, and to do so, we asked a pair of tequila experts to nominate their favorites. Unlike other spirits, tequila brands often share distilleries – there are about 70 of them producing more than 500 brands – so it’s often the brand rather than the distillery that indicates quality. Many of these 20 nominees for best craft tequila brand use traditional methods. Many of the brand owners grow their own agave and personally oversee the entire tequila-making process. All produce high-quality, distinctive tequilas available in the U.S. market. Vote for your favorite once per day until voting ends on Monday, September 12 at noon ET. Read the official Readers’ Choice rules here.

1. Embajador Tequila

The agave fields, distillery and bottling facility for Embajador Tequila are all located Atotonilco in Los Altos de Jalisco,… Read More >

2. Suerte Tequila

Suerte Tequila purchased their own distillery to hand-make their distinctive tequilas using many old-world processes, such as… Read More >

3. DesMaDre Tequila

DesMaDre Tequila crafts their spirits from 100-percent mature blue weber agave grown in the highlands of Jalisco. Relatively… Read More >

4. Tequila Gran Dovejo

Tequila Gran Dovejo shares a distillery in Jalisco, but their master distiller,Leopoldo Solis Tinoco, often takes over the… Read More >

5. Siete Leguas

Widely available yet little known in the United States, Siete Leguas works from their own distillery where they craft… Read More >

6. T1 Tequila Uno

Master distiller Germán Gonzalez, the man behind T1 Tequila Uno, uses only mature blue agave from the Jalisco highlands to… Read More >

7. Tequila Tapatío

Tequila Tapatío, a well-respected brand in Mexico, is distilled at one of the country’s most famous distilleries, La Alteña…. Read More >

8. Tequila G4

Tequila G4 is currently being produced by third and fourth generation distillers in El Pandillo distillery in Jalisco. The… Read More >

9. Tequila Don Modesto

While the twice-distilled tequilas from Tequila Don Modesto share a distillery with several other brands, the owner is… Read More >

10. Tequila Alquimia

While Tequila Alquimia shares a distillery with several other brands, the owner personally tends to his own agave field,… Read More >

11. Dulce Vida Tequila

Made from hand-selected agave grown in the highlands of Jalisco, Dulce Vida Tequila produces the world’s only USDA-certified… Read More >

12. Pasote Tequila

New to the market and already making its mark, Pasote Tequila – under the direction of master distiller Felipe Camarena –… Read More >

13. Tequila Fortaleza

Tequila Fortaleza hand-crafts their tequilas at their own dedicated distillery using very traditional methods. The agave is… Read More >

14. Casa Noble Tequila

Casa Noble is the result of seven generations of tequila makers. Today, the tequila is triple-distilled in small batches from… Read More >

15. Siembra Spirits

Siembra Spirits produces two brands of craft tequila, Siembra Azul from the highlands of Jalisco and Siembra Valles from the… Read More >

16. Tears of Llorona

Master distiller Germán Gonzalez crafted Tears of Llorona to be an extra extra Añejo sipping tequila made… Read More >

17. Tequila Ocho

Pick up a bottle of Tequila Ocho, and you’ll notice both the year it was produced and the precise field where the agave was… Read More >

18. Tequila ArteNOM

Tequila ArteNOM pays tribute to various distilleries and small-batch craft tequilas by hand-selecting limited-release tequilas… Read More >

19. Don Fulano

Family-owned Don Fulano has been producing tequilas in Mexico’s Jalisco Highlands for five generations. Everything is… Read More >

20. IXÁ Organic Tequila

Greenbar Distillery crafts their IXÁ Organic Tequila using traditional methods, like slow clay oven-steaming the mature… Read More >

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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!

Tequila Aficionado’s Tequila & Mezcal Road Show, Part 3

January 3, 2019June 8, 2016 by Lisa Pietsch

[From October 14 to October 28, 2015, Tequila Aficionado Media, accompanied by 33 expressions representing 19 brands, embarked on an epic RV road show christened, The Dia de los Muertos Tequila & Mezcal Tour. In these next passages, we recount the historic–and hysteric–highlights.]

Church, Tacos, and Tequila With Roger Clyne

Phoenix, Arizona

One of the highlights of Tequila Aficionado Media’s breakthrough Dia de los Muertos Tequila & Mezcal Tour was lunch with indy rock legend Roger Clyne of Roger Clyne and The Peacemakers.

After graciously posing for a quick photo outside our Cruise America RV with Lisa’s boys, we anxiously followed Roger and his lovely and elusive wife, Alisa, inside the historic Taco Guild gastropub, a deconsecrated Methodist church where he had recently conducted an exclusive tasting for fans of his Mexican Moonshine Tequila.

[Tweet “Get your @MexMoonshine fix at @TacoGuild in AZ!”]

Having spent most of my young life inside churches, my first inclination was to

speak reverently in whispers. Like most places of worship, the Taco Guild had its original stained glass windows and acoustically high ceilings that amplified the din of the lunch time crowd.

It didn’t take long before whispering was futile and more tequila and cocktails were needed.

Next On Deck

After ordering and savoring some delicious taco plates, Alisa and Roger clued us in on what was ahead for Mexican Moonshine tequila.

Not only were they planning an extensive 2015 fall tour, but they were also gearing up for 2016’s annual Circus Mexicus. But, there was another surprise–

The exclusive Mexican Moonshine extra añejo in a ceramic, commemorative 20th anniversary collector’s bottle depicting the “Fizzy Fuzzy, Big & Buzzy” album by Roger’s then group, The Refreshments.

[Tweet “Get your @MexMoonshine fix at @DBacks in AZ!”]

The band financed the effort so successfully via an Indiegogo campaign that the extra funds enabled them to parlay Mexican Moonshine as a featured tequila in twenty locations–including their own branded cantinas– throughout Chase Field, the home of the Arizona Diamondbacks baseball club for the 2016 and 2017 seasons.

Tequila Tasting With Roger Clyne

A staunch reposado enthusiast, Roger was making it his personal journey to research extra añejos in order to help him define his preferred flavor profile

for Moonshine’s upcoming XA offering.

Known for their varied and extensive tequila menu,

naturally, an impromptu tequila tasting ensued courtesy of the Taco Guild’s gracious bar manager.

After selecting and sampling a variety of tequilas from other producers with varying production methods,

including some exclusive ultra añejos from behind the Taco Guild’s sacred bar for over an hour, it was time to say goodbye to Roger and Alisa.

After supplying the Clynes with a bottle of blanco tequila and an añejo mezcal (for educational purposes, of course!), we hefted our bulging bag of leftovers onto the Cruise America RV.

Playing Catch Up

On the way back to our RV park, we stopped at the local supermarket to stock up on supplies for the what we expected would be the crown jewel of our tour–

The Grand Canyon.

After catching up on our required social media chores, a light dinner was in order along with sips of Mestizo Mezcal to chase away the creeping chill of the Arizona evening.

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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!

Tequila Aficionado’s Tequila & Mezcal Road Show, Part 2

January 3, 2019April 29, 2016 by Lisa Pietsch

[From October 14 to October 28, 2015, Tequila Aficionado Media, accompanied by 33 expressions representing 19 brands, embarked on an epic RV road show christened, The Dia de los Muertos Tequila & Mezcal Tour. In these next passages, we recount the historic–and hysteric–highlights.]

Inspired In Albuquerque

With the help of Mezcal Legendario Domingo, Lisa and I brainstormed about our black water tank problem.

We would contact Cruise America RV’s headquarters in Mesa, AZ via their Facebook page, and make an appointment with their service department. Since we were already fans, this impromptu visit would also serve as more content for Tequila Aficionado and Lisa’s personal blog.

Brilliant!

Get Your Kicks

Having trekked from Albuquerque to Phoenix a few times before, both Lisa and myself were aware that portions of Interstate 40 coursed along the Mother Road, historic Route 66.

And having lived in New Mexico for many years, I knew that a stop at Route 66 Casino for more photo ops was a must, especially because Route 66 Tequila had come on the tour, as well.

It was a memorable pit stop for us. We made a few new friends and had fun doing it! Check out this video highlight.

By The Time I Get to Phoenix

Once we left New Mexico in the rear view mirror and entered Arizona, the scenery changed and so did our mood.

Looking forward to our lunch date with Roger Clyne of Mexican Moonshine in the next couple of days, we decided to enjoy his latest CD, The Independent, and sing along–with hand puppets.

Don’t judge. It was a long drive!

After a mid-evening check-in at the Desert Shadows RV park in Phoenix, coupled with a late dinner, a snifter of Route 66 tequila for a nightcap seemed appropriate. But, not too many.

Our appointment with Cruise America’s service department to address our black water tank problem loomed early the next morning.

Cruise America Headquarters

An impressive fleet of RVs greeted us at Cruise America’s headquarters in Mesa. Its size and depth was deceiving with ample showrooms inside. No matter which department we dealt with, though, the company’s dedication to customer service was first rate.

While the service department examined our damaged RV, we spent time speaking with Vice President, Michael Smalley, on several topics concerning Cruise America’s long history and company philosophy.

You can watch the interview here.

Thank You, Cruise America!

An hour later, the head of the service department conferred with Mr. Smalley. Knowing that we were pressed for time, Michael advised that the quickest way to get us back enjoying the road and working on our tour was to switch us to a newer RV rather than to have us wait any longer for repairs on the black water tank.

After unloading clothes and supplies from our old RV and reloading the new one, we waved goodbye to our friends at Cruise America and shuttled back to our RV park in Phoenix.

That afternoon, Lisa was expecting her longtime friends and members of her writer’s group, and she was bound and determined to introduce them to fine sipping tequila from Casa 1921.

The Butterscotch Martini Girls

Once we were safely back at Desert Shadows with a brand new RV, Lisa regaled her friends with 1921 La Crema. You can view their official introduction to this tequila gem here, and their rave review here.

As for me, I took the time to sit underneath one of the many fruit trees near our space, lit a cigar, and enjoyed the rolling clouds that signaled a cooling monsoon shower just before sunset.

Tomorrow, we’d have some Mexican Moonshine in the forecast, courtesy of Roger Clyne.

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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!

Bullying in Tequila?

January 3, 2019April 13, 2016 by Lisa Pietsch

By now, many of you have seen or read the following story that first appeared in the Chinese press and was then regurgitated by the Mexican newspapers, followed by this video report concerning the alleged shutdown and supposed seizure of over a million liters of tequila at the Embajador distillery (NOM 1509) located in Atotonilco, Jalisco Mexico.

Recently, a concerned tequila brand owner emailed us the following:

“Curious–in your opinion do you think they [COFEPRIS (Comisión Federál para la Protección contra Reisgos Sanitarios) and SAT (Servicio de Admistración Tributaria)] might be just flexing muscle? Wonder if some of it was just paperwork and getting blown out of proportion? …Nothing surprises me, anymore.”

Whether you’re a consumer or a tequila brand owner, you’d be correct in asking these same questions.

And, since you asked…

To me, this is clearly a case of government agencies bullying an up-and-coming player poised to enter the Asian market.

[Tweet “Are government agencies bullying an up-and-coming player poised to enter Asia?”]

Here’s why I think that–

My sources tell me that the family-owned distillery has had a clean track record without a single citation in over 15 years. Moreover, in the past year or two, the family has made a number of improvements and investments to the distillery in order to compete effectively in Asia, with a focus on China.

Oddly, the news broke almost immediately in the Chinese press with an exact list of the seemingly minor infractions and liters of tequila “seized.”

Why was it not reported in the Mexican press, first? How did China scoop Mexico in its own backyard?

[Tweet “How did China scoop Mexico’s press in Tequila news?”]

Realistically, the amount of seized juice could be estimated to have a wholesale value of $10 million dollars, and a retail value of exponentially much more.

Why would a family-owned tequila distillery suddenly become so careless with a process that is very near and dear to them?

In my opinion, this whole situation reeks of a deliberate and malicious act to not only bully the family-owned distillery, but to also smear its reputation locally, and potentially, globally.

The aforementioned sources also claim that no tequila was physically seized, carted away or even dumped. Customarily, the minor infractions that were meticulously listed in the news reports would only garner a fair warning and would never warrant such a full blown assault on any tequila producing factory.

Strong arming Embajador Tequila and making it a sacrificial lamb to justify the existence of an illusory campaign against illegally produced tequila is simply bad politics.

My research reveals that the Embajador distillery is working closely with the CRT.

It will be interesting to see how this situation unfolds.

Spanish (English) Transcript of Sipping Off the Cuff with White Tequila Ambassador

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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!

Please share this with your friends:

~~~~~~~~~~

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!

Please share this with your friends:

~~~~~~~~~~

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!

Please share this with your friends:

~~~~~~~~~~

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!

Please share this with your friends:

Happy Valentine’s Day!

~~~~~~~~~~

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!

Please share this with your friends:

Assemble the following ingredients in a bread machine (or bowl if you prefer Old World ways):

~~~~~~~~~~

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!

Please share this with your friends:

“This is your tequila bucket list.”

~~~~~~~~~~

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!

Please share this with your friends:

Church, Tacos, and Tequila With Roger Clyne

Next On Deck

Tequila Tasting With Roger Clyne

Playing Catch Up

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Inspired In Albuquerque

Get Your Kicks

By The Time I Get to Phoenix

Cruise America Headquarters

The Butterscotch Martini Girls

~~~~~~~~~~

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!

Please share this with your friends:

~~~~~~~~~~

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!

Please share this with your friends: