A Brief History of The Tequila Ambassador V.O.

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Let’s speak tequila! Or, extra exactly, let’s discuss a sure tequila guide. However somewhat than leaping proper in, I’ll start with some backstory on the venture.

Longtime Cocktail Wonk readers could have seen that my posting frequency right here has slowed a bit not too long ago as Mrs. Wonk and I work exhausting to broaden the Wonk model into new areas.

You’ll have heard about my Rum Wonk Substack, the place I now share my deep dives into rum subjects. Subscriptions are free, however you possibly can go for a paid subscription to assist help my impartial analysis and writing within the rum area. (By no means concern, you’ll nonetheless discover my musing on cocktails and different subjects right here on CocktailWonk.com)

The opposite Wonk model growth is Wonk Press, which occupies a lot of my behind-the-scenes time. Final yr (2023), Workforce Wonk Press revealed Polynesiacs — Tiki at Residence by Tiki Tom-Tom. Tom’s beautiful pictures and writing take readers deep inside 75 extremely lovely Tiki bars. The response has been overwhelming, and Mrs. Wonk and I couldn’t be happier to have partnered with Tom to create a guide with out compromises.

With the success of the primary three Wonk Press books, we’ve had fairly just a few folks method us with nice concepts for books of their very own. This leads us to the first focus of this publish.

Turning to Tequila

For those who’ve been taking note of tequila for various years, you’ve virtually definitely heard of Tomas, who handed in 2021. His obituary within the New York Instances summed up his affect on the tequila world:

Tomas Estes, who gave up a profession instructing highschool English to open Mexican bars and eating places throughout Europe, within the course of serving to to remodel the picture of tequila from frat-house rotgut to a advantageous spirit that would sit on a shelf alongside cognac and single malt whisky, died on April 25 at his dwelling in Ashland, Ore.…
Beginning along with his first restaurant, Café Pacifico, which he opened in Amsterdam as an expatriate there in 1976, Mr. Estes introduced Mexican delicacies and tradition to a continent that was nonetheless solely vaguely conscious of Latin American fare…. Café Pacifico was an in a single day success and have become an everyday hang-out for American celebrities passing by means of Amsterdam — Mr. Estes favored to inform concerning the time Debbie Harry, lead singer of the band Blondie, waited on the bar for 2 hours to get a desk….
“Manner earlier than tequila was widespread outdoors Mexico, he was in Europe tirelessly spreading the gospel of tequila to anybody who would pay attention,” mentioned Carlos Camarena, a third-generation tequila distiller and a detailed buddy.
In 2003 the Nationwide Chamber of the Tequila Trade, a department of the Mexican authorities recognized by its Spanish initials C.N.I.T., appointed Mr. Estes the official tequila ambassador for the European Union.
5 years later, he and Mr. Camarena joined forces to create their very own model, Tequila Ocho — and, as soon as once more, Mr. Estes helped form the way in which folks take into consideration tequila.

The Tequila Ambassador V.O.

Previous to his passing, Tomas was engaged on a guide with Phil Bayly, Mitch Wilson, and Jesse Estes. Phil is a photographer and Tomas’ longtime buddy since opening the primary Café Pacifico in 1976. His pictures spanning six a long time fantastically illustrate Tomas’ passionate and deeply private phrases. Mitch Wilson, the International Model Ambassador for Black Tot Rum, was on the helm of pulling all of Tomas’ phrases and interviews with others right into a cohesive narrative, exhibiting each Tomas’ ardour and the way beloved he was. Tomas’ son Jesse Estes, world model ambassador for Tequila Ocho, contributed his tales, pictures, and insights to create a guide that actually honors his father’s legacy. From begin to end, it was a five-year effort for Workforce Tomas. The result’s The Tequila Ambassador V.O.

Naturally, when Workforce Tomas approached us about doubtlessly publishing the guide, Mrs. Wonk and I might barely consider such a chance had come our method. Beginning in late 2022, Carrie and Workforce Tomas started the sluggish, painstaking work of assembling and fine-tuning the guide. It was an enormous sigh of aid when Mrs. Wonk submitted the ultimate PDF file to the printer 18 months later, within the ultimate days of 2023. As a workforce passionate sufficient to create an 850-page rum guide, we had been honored to assist convey Tomas’ distinctive and deeply felt perspective to the printed web page with out compromise and as he meant.

Notice: Tomas beforehand wrote a guide in 2012 referred to as The Tequila Ambassador — no “V.O.” within the title. Apart from the creator and title, the 2 books are very totally different. The brand new guide is over twice the dimensions, has much more pictures, is extra up-to-date, and has a really totally different appear and feel than the 2012 guide.

Since cocktails are inextricably a part of tequila’s story, the Tequila Ambassador V.O. naturally has cocktail recipes—and greater than only a handful of the classics. Tomas’ pals and admirers turned out in full power, sharing 50 trendy recipes within the guide’s Cocktail Compendium part. A few of the well-known recipe contributors embody Lauren Mote, Ivy Combine, Dale DeGroff, Philip Duff, Lynnette Marrero, Eric Lorincz, Claire Warner, Joaquin Simo, Dick Bradsell, Gaz Regan, Salvatore Calabrese, and lots of extra.

I haven’t but tried each recipe, however Elayne Duff’s Bienvenidos has stricken a chord right here at Casa Cocktail Wonk.