The Best Possible Taste
By Mark Ludmon, Bar Magazine
www.barmagazine.co.uk
Cleo Races first rose to fame in the 1980s on The Keony Everett Television Show but in recent years she has been carving out a new role as a leading champion of tequila in the UK. This has led to her not on becoming an importer herself but also picking up an award in Guadalajara from
the Camara Nacional de la Industria Tequila last year for her support for the category.
Cleo was once as wary of tequila as a lot of British consumers. Despite being introduced to it by Kenny Everett buying her a Margarita at London's Cafe Pacifico, she was put off after drinking slammers in Los Angeles. "It made me very unwell so I didn't go near it again for years." She recalls that her passion for tequila was ignited when she visited Mexico 10 years ago and "saw an elegant lady drinking from a long flute. I found out it was EI Tesoro. I had a taste and it made me fee l so good and so happy that I Started exploring with tequila. I haven't been this excited about something for a long time. What excites me is seeing other people's reaction when they try it:" She began organising dinner parties at her home to introduce tequila to her friends but as the parties grew, they relocated to private dining rooms, giving birth to The Tequila Society. Guests have included her celebrity friends as well as the likes of tequila ambassador Tom Estes of La Perla and Cafe Pacifico.
Cleo believes the British are starting to understand tequila better but there is a way to go."A lot of bars still sell it for slammers but some bartenders will suggest that people try sipping it," she says. This is the case at Drake & Morgan's three bars in London, where training has been supported by The Tequila Society as supplier of the house tequila, Don Alvaro. Cleo and business partner Stuart Freeman introduced this and another tequila, Alma Mia, into the UK earlier this year."We wanted to bring some boutique premium tequilas that weren't overpriced," Cleo explains. "Everyone has different tastes, so the more choice there is, the better."
A number of brands such as Cazadores have been running consumer events aimed at winning converts. Last month, tequila was the focus of an event in east London organised by The Tasting Sessions, headed by Angella Newell and Hayley Sudbury. "Drinking tequila can easily be compared to sipping a fine whisky," Hayley says. "We are putting the class back into this category and demonstrating its amazing diversity and complexity. We want to position tequila in a new way so people can make peace with past experiences."
This month, a series of films promoting tequila is being launched by Pernod Ricard across a range of online platforms such as YouTube and Facebook, focusing on Olmeca Altos. The videos are presented by mixologists Henry Besant and Dre Masso from the Worldwide Cocktail Club who collaborated with Pernod Ricard to launch the tequila last year and set up a community of tequila champions called The Tahona Society. Michael Kaller, international marketing director for Olmeca, says there has been "unprecedented growth" in the number of 100 per cent agave tequila cases sold in the UK. "The UK is a very important and incredibly strong tequila market."
The broadening interest in tequila is reflected at The Living Room bars, where there are now 11 tequila listed plus four tequila-based cocktails. "There is clearly a trend towards more authentic products," says David Gwilliam, senior purchasing manager for operator The Orchid Group. "For example, we have just listed El Jimador in The Living Rooms and Ocho Blanco in Bar Room Bar."
Ocho, a 100 per cent blue agave tequila, is one of the brands thriving in bars because of the trend towards "connoisseurship" and is enjoying 20 per cent year-on-year growth, says Stuart Ekins, head of premium spirits at Global Brands which handles Ocho. "Tequila has benefited from a real boost in the on-trade as consumers continue to demand authentic, premium brands and their product knowledge continues to evolve. Ocho can be compared to fine wine in some respects, given its vintage stamp of approval and the benefits the terroir brings to the quality of the drink as well as the development of flavour in the glass over time."
Ocho benefits from being owned by Tom Estes, who actively promotes the brand and tequila generally to premium bars and restaurants. Stuart adds that the brand is also benefiting by encouraging bartenders to find new ways of serving tequila, from a Margarita to a Batanga - mixed with cola and a squeeze of lime - or a Paloma, mixed with grapefruit, gomme and soda.
Tequila is being championed by increasing number of bars, such as Neon Cactus in Leeds and Blue Coyote in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, as well as many in London. A bar opened this year above Mexican restaurant Wahaca in Canary Wharf, specialising in mezcal, the spirit made from agave outside the tequila region, while tequila and mezcal bar forms part of the Wahaca in Soho.
This year, Ned Conran opened a second branch of his restaurant El Camino, now renamed El Camion. The site in Soho, which has a basement bar, stocks about 60 different tequilas, more than the first restaurant in Notting Hill which has about 25. Operations director Jerome Armit, says: "Our bartenders encourage customers to try a little taste to see that tequila is something good. A lot of people say at first that they hate tequila but more people are understanding that it is a quality distilled spirit made with care and love." he adds that neat tequila is served at El Camion in brandy snifters rather that shot glasses to encourage people to sip and savour the spirit.
He stresses that El Camion stocks only 100 per cent agave tequilas which he believes are superior to mixtos which are partly made with other sugars such as cane sugar. However, Chris Lake, director of UK sales at drinks producer Toorank, says it is wrong to write off mixtos because some are good, such as his company's Aztec tequila which won a gold medal in the International Wine and Spirits Competition. "It gives us the ability to smooth things." he explains. "With 100 per cent agave you can't play around with it but if you blend it, you can soften it. It makes it more approachable and easy drinking. For the purists, 100 per cent agave is important but that doesn't necessarily make it the best product."
However, it is 100 per cent agave tequilas that is the most exciting development in the category, says Nick Gillett, marketing director and co-founder of drinks specialist Mangrove. It has two Brown-Forman tequilas in its portfolio: Herradura which, Nick says is popular with knowledgeable drinkers, and El Jimador Blanco and Reposado which "are in huge growth." El Jimador Añejo has been added to the range and two new products from Herradura are due later this year. Nick's ideas for serves include mixing El Jimador in a long drink with bitter lemon or a Margarita made with tamarind.
The range of super-premium 100 per cent agave tequilas grew last year with leading brand Sauza adding the smooth refined Tres Generaciones, comprising an unaged plata or silver tequila, the "rested" reposado and the aged añejo. Distributor Maxxium UK has enlisted Tom Estes and Carlos Londono of Cafe Pacifico to run bartender training in tequila and cocktails this year. "The Tres Generaciones line is perfectly placed in the contemporary market for both sipping and mixing," Tom says.
Other super-premium tequilas include Chinaco, distributed by Speciality Brands, with four expressions: blanco, reposado, añejo and negra - aged for over five years.
In teh mainstream market, Aussie Spirits has just introduced a pouring tequila into the UK on-trade, Tequila Blu, a smooth brand for sipping and mixing.
The growing variety and brands on offer is one of the reasons tequila is having more success with consumers and bartenders, says Steffin Oghene, brand ambassador for Cazadores. "At present, there is a lot of experimentation by bartenders with tequila in many different types of drink due to its versatility," he says. "Whereas in th epast a bar may only offer one brand of tequila, nowdays bars may have three or four or more, all displaying different characteristics. Bartenders are not only producing tequila classics such as the Paloma with different varieties of tequila brands but they are also substituting tequila into classics such as the Martinez which originally was a gin-based cocktail."
Steffin recommends that bars try serving tequila in glassware that promotes sipping rather than slamming. According to the Tahona Society's educator Matthias Lataille, several high-end bars in London are now using stemmed glasses for tequila. "The benefit of drinking it in this way is that it allows you to appreciate the flavours of the tequila," he explains. "In Mexico, we also drink tequila from a long shot glass that is known as a caballito, with a sangrita chaser, and this can be found in other bars across London."
the Camara Nacional de la Industria Tequila last year for her support for the category.
Cleo was once as wary of tequila as a lot of British consumers. Despite being introduced to it by Kenny Everett buying her a Margarita at London's Cafe Pacifico, she was put off after drinking slammers in Los Angeles. "It made me very unwell so I didn't go near it again for years." She recalls that her passion for tequila was ignited when she visited Mexico 10 years ago and "saw an elegant lady drinking from a long flute. I found out it was EI Tesoro. I had a taste and it made me fee l so good and so happy that I Started exploring with tequila. I haven't been this excited about something for a long time. What excites me is seeing other people's reaction when they try it:" She began organising dinner parties at her home to introduce tequila to her friends but as the parties grew, they relocated to private dining rooms, giving birth to The Tequila Society. Guests have included her celebrity friends as well as the likes of tequila ambassador Tom Estes of La Perla and Cafe Pacifico.
Cleo believes the British are starting to understand tequila better but there is a way to go."A lot of bars still sell it for slammers but some bartenders will suggest that people try sipping it," she says. This is the case at Drake & Morgan's three bars in London, where training has been supported by The Tequila Society as supplier of the house tequila, Don Alvaro. Cleo and business partner Stuart Freeman introduced this and another tequila, Alma Mia, into the UK earlier this year."We wanted to bring some boutique premium tequilas that weren't overpriced," Cleo explains. "Everyone has different tastes, so the more choice there is, the better."
A number of brands such as Cazadores have been running consumer events aimed at winning converts. Last month, tequila was the focus of an event in east London organised by The Tasting Sessions, headed by Angella Newell and Hayley Sudbury. "Drinking tequila can easily be compared to sipping a fine whisky," Hayley says. "We are putting the class back into this category and demonstrating its amazing diversity and complexity. We want to position tequila in a new way so people can make peace with past experiences."
This month, a series of films promoting tequila is being launched by Pernod Ricard across a range of online platforms such as YouTube and Facebook, focusing on Olmeca Altos. The videos are presented by mixologists Henry Besant and Dre Masso from the Worldwide Cocktail Club who collaborated with Pernod Ricard to launch the tequila last year and set up a community of tequila champions called The Tahona Society. Michael Kaller, international marketing director for Olmeca, says there has been "unprecedented growth" in the number of 100 per cent agave tequila cases sold in the UK. "The UK is a very important and incredibly strong tequila market."
The broadening interest in tequila is reflected at The Living Room bars, where there are now 11 tequila listed plus four tequila-based cocktails. "There is clearly a trend towards more authentic products," says David Gwilliam, senior purchasing manager for operator The Orchid Group. "For example, we have just listed El Jimador in The Living Rooms and Ocho Blanco in Bar Room Bar."
Ocho, a 100 per cent blue agave tequila, is one of the brands thriving in bars because of the trend towards "connoisseurship" and is enjoying 20 per cent year-on-year growth, says Stuart Ekins, head of premium spirits at Global Brands which handles Ocho. "Tequila has benefited from a real boost in the on-trade as consumers continue to demand authentic, premium brands and their product knowledge continues to evolve. Ocho can be compared to fine wine in some respects, given its vintage stamp of approval and the benefits the terroir brings to the quality of the drink as well as the development of flavour in the glass over time."
Ocho benefits from being owned by Tom Estes, who actively promotes the brand and tequila generally to premium bars and restaurants. Stuart adds that the brand is also benefiting by encouraging bartenders to find new ways of serving tequila, from a Margarita to a Batanga - mixed with cola and a squeeze of lime - or a Paloma, mixed with grapefruit, gomme and soda.
Tequila is being championed by increasing number of bars, such as Neon Cactus in Leeds and Blue Coyote in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, as well as many in London. A bar opened this year above Mexican restaurant Wahaca in Canary Wharf, specialising in mezcal, the spirit made from agave outside the tequila region, while tequila and mezcal bar forms part of the Wahaca in Soho.
This year, Ned Conran opened a second branch of his restaurant El Camino, now renamed El Camion. The site in Soho, which has a basement bar, stocks about 60 different tequilas, more than the first restaurant in Notting Hill which has about 25. Operations director Jerome Armit, says: "Our bartenders encourage customers to try a little taste to see that tequila is something good. A lot of people say at first that they hate tequila but more people are understanding that it is a quality distilled spirit made with care and love." he adds that neat tequila is served at El Camion in brandy snifters rather that shot glasses to encourage people to sip and savour the spirit.
He stresses that El Camion stocks only 100 per cent agave tequilas which he believes are superior to mixtos which are partly made with other sugars such as cane sugar. However, Chris Lake, director of UK sales at drinks producer Toorank, says it is wrong to write off mixtos because some are good, such as his company's Aztec tequila which won a gold medal in the International Wine and Spirits Competition. "It gives us the ability to smooth things." he explains. "With 100 per cent agave you can't play around with it but if you blend it, you can soften it. It makes it more approachable and easy drinking. For the purists, 100 per cent agave is important but that doesn't necessarily make it the best product."
However, it is 100 per cent agave tequilas that is the most exciting development in the category, says Nick Gillett, marketing director and co-founder of drinks specialist Mangrove. It has two Brown-Forman tequilas in its portfolio: Herradura which, Nick says is popular with knowledgeable drinkers, and El Jimador Blanco and Reposado which "are in huge growth." El Jimador Añejo has been added to the range and two new products from Herradura are due later this year. Nick's ideas for serves include mixing El Jimador in a long drink with bitter lemon or a Margarita made with tamarind.
Other super-premium tequilas include Chinaco, distributed by Speciality Brands, with four expressions: blanco, reposado, añejo and negra - aged for over five years.
In teh mainstream market, Aussie Spirits has just introduced a pouring tequila into the UK on-trade, Tequila Blu, a smooth brand for sipping and mixing.
The growing variety and brands on offer is one of the reasons tequila is having more success with consumers and bartenders, says Steffin Oghene, brand ambassador for Cazadores. "At present, there is a lot of experimentation by bartenders with tequila in many different types of drink due to its versatility," he says. "Whereas in th epast a bar may only offer one brand of tequila, nowdays bars may have three or four or more, all displaying different characteristics. Bartenders are not only producing tequila classics such as the Paloma with different varieties of tequila brands but they are also substituting tequila into classics such as the Martinez which originally was a gin-based cocktail."
Steffin recommends that bars try serving tequila in glassware that promotes sipping rather than slamming. According to the Tahona Society's educator Matthias Lataille, several high-end bars in London are now using stemmed glasses for tequila. "The benefit of drinking it in this way is that it allows you to appreciate the flavours of the tequila," he explains. "In Mexico, we also drink tequila from a long shot glass that is known as a caballito, with a sangrita chaser, and this can be found in other bars across London."
www.barmagazine.co.uk
posted by The team at
6:21 PM
