Why is Carlos so happy?

Is it because the price of agave is going up??

Don Sutcliffe

Tomas with his good friend Don Sutcliffe, creator of "Exceptional" Scotch Whisky at Hi-Times Liquor in Costa Mesa , California, where they have an incredible selection of spirits.

Boogie Bar

 The wild man with me is Yiannis Bozovic, bartender at Boogie Bar in Athens. He is also an incredible magician and does magic tricks behind the bar as well as making magical cocktails.

Athens Bar Show

Tequila Ocho at the 2014 Athens Bar Show

Stavros mixing up some good Ocho margaritas for the guests at the Athens Barshow. Stavros has a dog called Ocho. He got it for his then girlfriend and now they share it. Ocho has real class and character. I know since I've seen him. 

Stavros is a professional both in technique and in service.

Tomas presenting to the Athens Bar guests on Agave Spirits. There is a good level of cocktailing going on in Greece and the market for Agave Spirits is strong. Maybe it is that the Mediterranean climate and culture suits enjoying agave spirits?

Tomas presenting to a select group on the basics of 'terroir' as it applies to agave, tequila and specifically to Tequila Ocho. Two different "Ranchos" were tasted to compare and contrast the examples.

Stavros and the bar team had a good crowd of thirsty Greeks wanting an Ocho margarita. 

Hong Kong

Group photo after our session at Aberdeen St Social

On a recent magical trip to Hong Kong son Jesse and I did a presentation on Agave Spirits at the Aberdeen Street Social organized by our friend Neil Rivington. It was very rewarding to share ideas with the assembled bartenders, managers and owners. The level of expertise and enthusiasm is high in this unique city.

After the presentation which included tequila -including a tasting of Ocho- Neil told us the story
below , in his own words.

"During my time @ Shoreditch House in London in 2007- when we got busy/slammed at the bar, one bartender would shout out, "Ocho time!" Then someone would proceed to pour shots for all on the bar. This would continue through the night 'Ocho got us through' ".

Some tequila Ocho fun after the masterclass, at Chachawan

Barcelona Tequila Masterclass

A short video taken at our recent masterclass in Ocaña, Barcelona:

Don Javier in La Capilla

Don Javier in La Capilla

we come and sit

 in his presence,

in the moment

that is all there is,

our faces turned to

and radiating

his benevolence,

glowing, connected

we have come to be

with him

and he is there for us

all that there is is complete

in this magic space

Curado cried Wolf

 Curado cried Wolf

  50ml Ocho Curado

  7.5ml Wolfschmidt Kummel

  5ml Noilly Pratt

  10 Drops Bob's Lavender Bitters

Wash ice with vermouth & discard. Stir down remaining ingredients. 

Serve straight up with Lime twist.

Created by Peter Rawlings at La Raza in Cambridge, UK. 


Pete explained his inspiration for the drink:

"When we were doing the tasting I noticed how the Curado had some lighter floral and fruity notes, whilst still remaining very vegetal. I really enjoyed this quality to Curado, so I tried to create a drink playing on this, to highlight the qualities of Curado, without drowning the product.

Unlike the boy who cried wolf, with this drink there's no pretending!"

The model of passion and integrity

In Pastry War the new bar of Bobby Heugel and Alba Huerta , Bobby tells me that guests are already becoming aware of different types of tequila on the list and equally  of mezcal. Guests are daring to go to new brands. This is a result of the culture in Pastry War.

 

The staff , that are well educated and impassioned talk about the products they offer, encourage the guests to try new products, they offer small tastes to try before ordering to help the guests. Others use Mexican spirits to apply to modern cocktailing (cocktaileria)  while PW keeps more to the drinking traditions from Mexico and shares this with its guests.

Bobby talks about "bar culture"-more about style of service, how drinks are served - as opposed to "cocktail culture"- how a drink is made. Working to break the mould, the menu is set by varietal with mezcal coming first and tequila second so the attention is drawn to new experiences.

They are working on a "Captain's List", "Lista de Capitan" which will be an agave spirits reference with maps, sorted by varietal, details of production processes for each brand served and commentary by bartenders and tequila experts.

As Bobby serves a mezcal Vago-varietal espadin, he likens the maguey variety to a wine grape variety. He  tells the story of the family that makes the product. Bobby serves me a "Bala de Canon" made with fresh cantaloupe  puréed with its seeds for extra flavor, honey, lemon juice and Tequila Ocho plata, Rancho Las Pomez.

Taylor who I meet at the bar has not enjoyed Houston in all the years he's visited until this time. He's been to PW two times in two days and has not yet ordered a cocktail. He asks to have a drink made for him and each time it is just right. In this Bobby shows his mastery, his passion .

 The decor is tongue in cheek, kitch Mexican, colorful, visual fun. It has a great and carefully selected range of agave spirits . The standard for inclusion on the menu is that the spirits must be traditionally made. It is the house goal that in 6 months they will have visited all distilleries whose spirits they represent on their menu.

Being in this place I am a student of what and how they do their magic, filled with passion, integrity and of course love.

With Alba at The Pastry War, Houston, TX

Tequila will fix it

"Tequila will fix it". This is what Erasmo Palacio says when when faced with adversity. His daughter Cassandra told me this over a glass of Ocho Los Fresnos in the Esquire Bar in San Antonio. The image shows father and daughter.

Ocho in Greece

I love being in Athens. The place itself is full of history and the energy of what's gone down there across the centuries is palpable. Of special appreciation to me is the nature of the Greeks themselves. I feel at home with them, I feel part of them and enjoy how open they are with their emotions and physicality. Soon after arriving in Athens for the 2013 Bar Show I was greeted by my friend, Stavros. He wanted to tell me about his dog , OCHO. He had a girlfriend and he wanted to buy her a present for her birthday. She loves dogs so he bought her a French bulldog with a coat like a smoking jacket. Two days before he gave her the dog he named it OCHO because he loves the tequila. Two days before her birthday they broke up. Now Jamie , the girl and Stavros trade off looking after OCHO.

 

Stavros at Athens Bar Show 2013

 OCHO the dog