Last week the final in the World Class trilogy of educational sessions took place across the UK with the spotlight being shone on Tequila.
BarLifeUK attended the London session at Loungelover which, as we have come to expect, furnished us with some great drinks, informative speakers and a chance to catch up with a lot of industry friends over a Paloma or two.
The day was kicked off with Steffin Oghene previously of Green & Red who gave a very informative look back at the history of Tequila which is full of Spanish interference. All too often during tequila ‘master classes’ you sit and hear the same Agave and production related facts and figures being spouted out so it was a refreshing change to hear about the rocky past of the category.
As with most enjoyable things in life if you go back far enough in history you’ll find that the church and royalty tried their best to bugger it up for everyone however thanks to a fellow called Fernando IV the first license for production of Tequila (or Mescal as it was known back then) was granted in 1795. The license itself was granted to none other than Jose Cuervo which lead almost seamlessly into the introduction of the days second speaker Francisco Hajnal the founder of the Mexican Academy of Tequila Experts.
Francisco took us on a tasting tour of the Jose Cuervo range including the all important competition brand of Tradicional. This glasses tasting notes were paid particular attention to as the rooms collective brains started to whir and thunk into action as the competition entry ideas started to form.
To kick those creative juices up another notch Tristan and Thomas from Purl (and soon to be Worship Street Whistling Shop) showed three twists on traditional tequila serves using Don Julio. As we have come to expect from these guys the next level was visited, ignored and left behind as they produced a Tommy’s Margarita substituting the Lime Juice for Vinegar. After that came smoke and homemade ginger beer to create two more Purl-esque drinks.
Now it is over to you our intrepid readers to enter your drinks and for your final chance to win one of the biggest and most prestigious cocktail competitions in the world and also for the chance of a trip to Mexico. All you have to do to enter is visit the World Class website and remember to use Jose Cuervo Tradicional in your cocktail, entries close on the 16th April.