5inco de Mayo in Sayulita + the Imbiber

I love to read what other drinkers have to say, and to reflect my addiction to flavor, taste, and gosh darn... Alcohol, to theirs. I enjoy reading about drinking, I watch movies about people who love a good time under the influence, and I appreciate a dedication and documentation of it all. Online there are a bevy of awesome people taking time to share their loves as well, and they rule. Dan Dunn is one of them. He runs a great drinking and spirits site called the Imbiber , clearly enjoying his glass of whatever it may be - a man after my own heart! He is also the spirits writer for Playboy, so that's a ton of cool in my book, being a big fan of a nudie mag anyday. Recently he was kind enough to call out the Sayulita Tequila Journal as well as the S.F.T. Tequila Bar's upcoming 5inco de Mayo party - Check it out here!

If you are the kind of drinker that may like a bit of history with your alcohol, pour a short glass, rinse, repeat, and check this out. I didn't know alot about Mexico before moving here. I knew the basics, I speak spanish, being a pure blood Argentine (the creme of the crop as far as Latinos are concerned - really, ask anyone!) and my brother was married in Tijuana. Since living here, I find Mexico's rich history one of my favorite topics, no shit. What a country! Talk about stomped upon, fucked with, and taken to town. Like a kid in the street, who eventually fights back and kicks ass! No surprise they enjoy a good relaxing or celebratory drink! Anyway, today I learned more about the 5th of May, as a Gringo may say. Here it is, translated into Gab-speak (that's me). Cinco de Mayo is a regional holiday in my dear Mexico, primarily celebrated in the state of Puebla, with the rest of the country recognizing it only as a minor event each year (and finding much pleasure surely that the U.S. celebrates it heavily, often for the wrong reason...but more on that later..). The holiday we speak of celebrates the battle between Mexico and the French on May 5, 1862, and Mexico's unlikely yet extremely awesome triumph over the French, who kinda suck (Yay Mexico! Boo France!). This is known as the Battle of Puebla. Not an official holiday, it remains a significant battle for 2 major reasons. First, the Mexican army was outnumbered 2 x 1 by heavily armed French forces that had not been defeated in 50 years, and second it was the last time the "Americas" were invaded by outside forces. You just know there were significant amounts of Mexicans drinking Tequila to celebrate that day at Puebla, just like there will be in the U.S. this year during its many celebrations - Mexicans and Gringos alike. While it's significance is limited in Mexico, Cinco de Mayo is celebrated heavily in the U.S. as a celebration of Mexican heritage and pride (and a good reason for people to drink without really knowing why). Right on? Unfortunately, it is also a common misconception in the U.S. that it celebrates Mexico's Independence day, which is actually September 16, the most important Mexican holiday of all. So as you toss back some drinks in the ol' U.S. of A. next week, share some good info to your local know nothings!

Again, I always state there does not need to be a good reason for a good drink, but it's even tastier if you have one. Now on this great day, you know why to drink... Mexico beat up the French. They literally punched them in the face. Let's drink to that! For those of you in Mexico, come drink with us in Sayulita, such a great place to drink I moved here - Just as the Mexican army was outnumbered 2 x 1, word on the dusty streets of Sayulita that drinks will be 2 x 1. Sign me up for some excessive drinking. Plus Mariachi music, and a good Mexican spring day - all I can say is "what Swine Flu?" Tequila surely can kill the swine flu, if anything can. That's my medicine. Viva Mexico!

Mezcal, Raicilla, Mexican Moonshine, and the (in)famous Worm

"It's Mezcal with me...Tequila, no, that is helpful and delightful, just like beer. Good for you. But If I ever start to drink Mezcal again, I'm afraid, yes, that would be the end..." - Malcolm Lowry, Under the Volcano

Moonshine. Everclear. Bathtub Gin. Mezcal. Raicilla. Since the start of times, humans have been catching a good buzz, loving a good flavor (or questionable flavor, as we will soon discuss) and inevitably making their own home-brewed liquor to accomplish all of the above. Mexicans have a rich tradition of creating beauty out of the simple things around them, and have famously used the estimated 400 varieties of the Agave plant for many of their necessities - needles, thread, food, building materials, and so on - but most famous is the creation of Tequila, her mysterious sister Mezcal, and their dangerous-yet-sexy cousin Raicilla (be careful of her!). Though I love the big sister with all my heart, its the younger girls we get intimate with today.

My all time favorite Tequila-related imagery is the bottle art of the Gusano Rojo Mezcal Joven. The great iconic art (75 year anniversary going on now) of the worm working the agave fields always makes me happy and reminds me of animation, comics... and booze. A few of my favorite things, together and apart. Though I often drank Cuervo Gold growing up, to me the image on the bottle of Gusano Rojo, and the infamous Worm, wove a tale and imagery that to me said Mexico, Tequila (though it isn't) and heavy inebriation. More on Gusano Rojo later.

The word Mezcal was born from the Aztec language, meaning a potent Mexican spirit made from the Maguey plant - they got that right on the nose, the potent part. You could say that Tequila, Mezcal, and Raicilla's first major difference is their home-towns, with Tequila only distilled in and around the northern state of Jalisco, Mezcal mostly created in the south, in the areas in and surrounding the state of Oaxaca (pronounced 'Wo-Ha-Ka'), and Raicilla born of regional Agaves in different parts of Mexico. Another important distinction is that while Tequila is now a huge business, with most distilleries run by big companies with bigger budgets, Mezcal and Raicilla are both still made by Oaxacan and other local villagers in genuine home-made, back room operations. While many of the Mezcals we tried today are bottled and approved by Mexican spirit standards, it is not legal to produce Raicilla for sale, so these are the true bottles of modern Mexican moonshine. These producers are still very artisinal and very small in comparison to the Big T companies, and the flavors from town to town are distinctive and original.

I decided to pull together the inner circle of the Tequila Squad for a full blown Mezcal-a-rama. My fellow Mezcaleros: Mark Alberto Holt, owner of my beloved S.F.T. Tequila Bar, Ed Schwartz, "the Nose", his wife Bambi, plus a few good folks that stopped by through the trials. Mark laid out an excellent selection of his best, brightest, moonshiniest Mezcals and Raicillas, and awesomeness, education and hilarity insued. This is what we drank.

Monte Alban Mezcal Reposado con gusano (with worm) - Not 100% Agave, and it shows. Probably what Mezcaleros may call a classic, smokey flavor, and smokey it is, but besides that to me it has some of the worst characteristics. Ed asked out loud "Why do people drink this...?" or something equally awesome. Whatever his exact words, I got the drift, and felt similarly.

Mezcalero Mezcal Reposado "Regional de Oaxaca" con gusano - Though also not 100% Agave, this is a far more palatable cup in comparison to the Monte Alban. A light, spicy nose leads to a flavor with hints of flowers (just can't call which) and strange fruit. I was surprised by my lack of repulsion, and found this overall enjoyable.

Gusano Rojo Mezcal Joven 100% Agave con gusano - A Classic Mezcal, both in reputation and classic Mexican imagery. As stated, I remember loving this bottle when I was very young, it's cartoon gusano rojo (red worm, y'all) working in the agave fields, happy as, well, a worm in Mezcal. Though I can attest to taking many a shot of G.R. in the wee desperate hours, lost to whatever my life was giving me, and no good Tequila around...Today, sitting here in the company of my motley yet elegant crew, it tastes down right refined. Smokey nose starts you off, and carries right through the tasting, start to finish. Lasts far (far) longer than your last sip, which is good if you enjoy it.
"Hints of Pear..." Ed.

Recuerdo de Oaxaca Mezcal Joven 100% de Agave con gusano - The flavor was better than the smell, but barely by a nose (funny). It did get better with further drinks, but lots of bad things get better with time.
"That nose does not move me" - Ed.
"A nose like petroleum...like chemicals or coal" - Mark.
"Ack." - Gab

Recuerdo de Oaxaca Mezcal Joven 100% de Agave con multiple gusanos - This is awesome because it is the exact same Mezcal as above, same NOM # (the Official Mexican Standard of Tequila that is regulated by the Mexican Government applicable to all producers of the spirit) and same Lot #, the only difference being an updated bottle design, and that it comes with multiple worms. I found this a much better tasting, smoother bottle than the one with only one worm, and came to the decision that this may be the only thing in the world that tastes better with more worms in it. Right on.

Sisal Silver Extra Dry Blanco, Licor de Henequen 100% Agave - Here I had found my best taste of the day, and worth the wait. Delightful and sweet from the gate, hints of citrus take you through nose and taste. This is a gentle Mezcal you could enjoy in any situation, and be far from vomiting. Find this and start a conversation around it.

Raicilla "El Tuito" Reposado 100% Agave - A Raicilla distilled from regional Agaves, this really lives beyond its family home, starting with a great nose, and ending one of the best surprises of the day. Raicilla is not given a NOM # or recognized by means and standards as other Tequilas and Mezcals are, so it is legal to give away, but not to sell. The back of the bottle says "...this aphrodisiac elixir...should be taken in no less than 5 drinks per day and no more than 10 per day...". Nice prescription.

Raicilla in a blank plastic bottle - very young and born and delivered right from a still - "Oh Shit." were my and everyone else's first words after our foray into this mexican moonshine. My pal Yogi who joined us around this time compared it to what he imagined "Hawkeye and Trapper John drank on M.A.S.H..." I loved that show, and the wisdom.

As the afternoon went on, we thoroughly discussed the best qualities of even a questionable flavor, while taking joy of the "rough edges" - with Mezcal being an acquired taste, overall I can say we all really acquired it. Mezcal I find is more earthy than Tequila, and has a smokey soul that most folks probably have the most trouble with. I personally also find it saltier, but also more floral in my preferred bottles. You must remember that the varied flavors come from the local villages each bottle is born from, the local water, wether it is created in a clay or copper pot... lots of variables, all key to it's local flavor. That is where it's true charm lies. For many, learning to love Mezcal may come via cocktails, which is a fine doorway into this magical world.

Tonight I sit at home, documenting these words, enjoying my evening with Andrea, now that the boy is recently to sleep. As I sip on some Gran Centenario Azul, I can't help but think that one thing is missing, isn't it? The Worm. MY WORM. After all these years, I have never had the worm. Well, tonights the night, as they say. I pull out my bottle of Gusano Rojo I have around for posterity and art, and pop it open. Digging the worm out is not as easy as thought, but as I am known to, I figured it out. With my glass filled with the Mezcal it spent years in on my shelf, I tossed my friend into my mouth. Small burst, more of the same Mezcal of it's home, and generally no big suprise. A worm. I do feel awesome to have finally crossed that bridge, but at the same time depressed thaI have yet to start hallucinating. Now I am sad.

I leave this night having not only a fonder place in my dark dark (pitch black) heart for Mezcal and Raicilla, but a deeper appreciation for home made booze, especially in Mexico, an amazing country born of creativity and home-grown magic.

Los Mezcaleros de Sayulita: (L-R) Mark Alberto Holt, the Fiend, Ed and Bambi Schwartz

I wish I would have said that....

"I have taken out of Alcohol more than alcohol has taken out of me"

- famous drinker and world leader Winston Churchill 1874-1965

A sign from better times...

old Mexican Tequila poster, circa god-knows-when

A good day always ends up at the Bar...

I went for a walk today with my son, Maximo Lobo. Not only a great kid but an awesome drinking partner, even at 8 months. I know what you are thinking - "Best Dad ever". Totally, I don't want to sound snobby, but it's true. Anyway, our walk took us through town, stops at the bootleg DVD stand, a dust parade down Calle Pelicanos, and an ever important quick stop for a "Cielo Rojo". A favorite of mine any day, it's a Mexican traditional beer concoction, mixed with Tabasco, Worcester, Soy, lots of lime and salt, and finally, Clamato and ice. Lots of it. Awesome. This is a drink that not only keeps your beer cold in our hot little country, but adds all the joy of a Bloody Mary, and then some. Steak comes to mind - hot spicy carne asada. It is an acquired taste, but when acquired, hard to let go. With that, we wandered on, my little Ewok and I. Off to see the Wizard, the wonderful wizard of Tequila. It was a super sunny day in Sayulita, and as we walk around the plaza, the sounds of the occasional "Maximo!" in the background bring a smile to my face. The town around us knows my boy, and I look forward to him growing up in this spot in the world. As a gringo, you can live here for years and never totally feel like its your home, always the outsider. After 3 years, I have to say, it feels like home to me. Speaking of homes, let's go to the Bar.

When you show up to a bar, at 3pm with a drink already in your hand, you know its a good day. This was today, Gab and Son, Cielo Rojo in hand, visiting my fave bar in town. To our good luck, S.F.T.'s main man Mark Albert was there, and off we went. Today I drank well, but simply. We started out with Tequila De Los Gonzalez blanco, a pretty amazing white that Mark joined me for. It's always better to share a new taste, and Mark a good sounding board to enjoy Tequila with. This blanco made me never want to drink a reposado again. Strong nose, true agave flavor full of Vanilla and hot finish. Wonderful. There is a rich family history behind this bottle, which always adds another level to any good Tequila, as Mexico is all about history.

My treat of the day was a little bottle called Te Amo Blanco. You probably haven't heard much on this bottle, but it had a super gentle nose, simple flavor and great overall taste, all surely due to it's only 38% proof. My alcoholic self often yells a hearty "bah-humbug!" at anything not strong enough to burn your nose hairs, but I really liked this. Good price, good taste, good buzz. Find it and drink it.

Not only do I drink, but I document. S.F.T. has a burgening little gang, called the S.F.T. Tequila Squad, and we drink, write about our drinks, and maybe meet in a dark alley here and there... and drink more, Tequila that is. Mark provides his squad with great tracking diaries to keep up with their every Tequila, make notes, etc. I am lucky enough (or damned?) to have filled my first book, and Mark gifted me a Agave-bound Tequila bible to keep my drawings and ramblings about my latest conquest at the bar. So awesome. I have always dreamed of having a special glass at a bar I always drank at, when I get nice and old. Well, I have started a book that I hope to look back at years from now, when I am drinking at (or passed out in) my home town bar. Good times. More on the S.F.T. Tequila Squad soon.

Love your Bartender

If you are any kind of self respecting Drinker, you not only know your bartender's name, but you think so highly of him or her, that their name could be the name you give one of your future children, Boy or girl... Yes, the relationship with your Bartender is paramount to a good drinking experience, and more so with the success and return-ability of any great bar.

Those of my Tribe and designation have clocked enough hours at a Bar that much like a lover or good friend, it truly matters who your Bartender is, how he treats you, and what they represent themselves as. Whether it's Jeff at the Crow Bar, Annie at Fulton Street, or Craig at the Cactus Club, I'll never forget the great Bartenders in my life...and neither should you.

Enter Miguel. Born Miguel Sanchez Origel in Aguas Calientes, Mexico, I first met Miguel when I myself was Bartending at the long dead Sayulita Lounge, as he came in to borrow or share ingredients for where he was bartending, my now dear Sayulita Fish Taco. Miguel is the father of his 6 year old son Diego, and the kind of Dad any kid would love - he has been a bartender for 14 years, starting when he was 18 working in bars, moving into bartending after the first few years. We worked together shortly at the Lounge, and now he pours my poison at the S.F.T. Tequila Bar, and I couldn't be happier. A hardcore surfer since his early teens, he truly personifies the lifestyle that everyone wants... work hard, keep in funds, and surf every free minute you have. I don't surf, but with Miguel, it doesn't matter, he is gonna treat you like you DO surf, not like you DON'T surf, and tell you all about the waves in the most glorious fashion... and that in itself is the biggest compliment he gives you, and I can give him. He is the same good guy, it's us who are different. We have gotten chances to discuss much as he pours my Tequila, or as we share a glass, and the conversations over a drink is one of the true treats of a Tequila bar such as S.F.T. Though he used to drink Tequila as a younger man only to party and get wasted as many of us, he has developed a taste for the good stuff, and appreciates the subtle differences in the myriad variety of bottles.

Favorite Tequila: Casa Noble Reposado (pictured above in the blue bottle). "Suave, hints of chocolate, cinnamon, and vanilla"

Worst Tequila memory: When he was young, he used to drink liter after liter of bad tequila, and extreme amounts of beer - this led to classic vomiting sessions lasting hours!

Best Tequila memory: At a family gathering for a wedding, in his home town of Aguas Calientes, in a local pueblo called Calvillo. The Tequila was a no-name Tequila for the wedding, but the fact that his family was all there, great food, Mariachis playing, the Tequila was an uplifting factor that had everyone bonding and sharing in the moment.

Thoughts on Sayulita: "Sayulita crece, pero yo cresco con ella" - "Sayulita grows, but I grow with her" - words to live by in our great little town!

Miguel is behind the Bar every single day but Sunday. No kidding. Come to Sayulita, stop by the S.F.T. Tequila Bar, have him pick out your poison, and tell 'em Gabbi sent you.

Ed Schwartz - a nose for the good stuff

My good friend Ed Schwartz is the kind of guy you want to sit and have a drink with. Luckily our friendship allows this and more. He is a long time Wine industry rep and enthusiast, and has now turned his attention to what Mexican's call "vino", our dear Tequila. Ed and his wife Bambi have become great friends and my son Maximo's 3rd set of grandparents, and are now locals in our town of Sayulita, Mexico. Ed is the PR guy for the S.F.T. Tequila Bar where I am often found, and has recently wrote a great story for the Nob Hill Gazette about Tequila, it's history, and a wonderful tasting we did with Mark at the Bar. Here is an excerpt (the picture above is Ed and I at my U.S. Citizenship ceremony in California last month):

Tequila—The Town & The Tastes
by Ed Schwartz

Tequila, Jalisco, Mexico—One hour west of Guadalajara, we are in tequila country, anchored by the town of Tequila. As we make the turn off Highway 15 and into this charming place, we are greeted by rows and rows of proud, blue agave plants, their spiky crowns pointing to the bright, hot sun. Once in the town, there is much to see, including a beautiful church, the new and tranquil José Cuervo visitors’ center, and, no surprise, dozens and dozens of shops selling a wide range of tequilas, the national spirit of Mexico.

The highlight of our visit was the beautiful tequila museum, which tells the history of the spirit in pictures, art, rare bottles, and ancient barrels and production equipment.
The process of making tequila is long and difficult. It begins when the blue agave plant (Agave Tequiliana Weber Azul) is ripe—usually when it’s eight years or older. The leaves are chopped away with great effort by an expert jimador; what is left is a very large bottom core. These cores are called piñas (pineapples, which they resemble) and can weigh from forty to two-hundred pounds. There are 136 species of agave, of which blue agave is just one.

There are many types of tequila; there are also very strict rules about what can be called tequila. By Mexican law, a spirit can only be called a tequila if it is made in the state of Jalisco and is comprised of no less than fifty-one percent blue agave.
The best tequilas are those that are one-hundred percent blue agave; they come in three types: blanco (also called plata or silver), reposado, and añejo. Other tequilas, which feature a lesser percentage of blue agave, come in blanco, oro, reposado, and añejo. Blanco is the traditional tequila, clear and strong. Gold (oro) tequila is mellowed by colorants and flavorings and is generally used in the wildly popular margarita cocktail, now the best-selling cocktail in the U.S. Reposado (rested) means that the spirit has rested in oak for two months to one year. Añejo, old, is aged for up to eight years; older tequilas can be called extra añejo.

Use of the agave plant—called maguey—has a long history in Mexico. Centuries before the Spanish conquest of Mexico, indigenous people were making an alcoholic drink from fermented agave called pulque. When the Spanish came, they distilled this brew into a more intense spirit. And, the leaves of the agave were used to make mats, clothing, rope, and a type of paper.

As time went by, many of the best of the distilled spirits were made in the state of Jalisco and eventually dubbed tequila. Agave spirits made elsewhere, and utilizing other species of agave, are commonly referred to as mezcal (a common phrase in the Mexican spirits world is “all tequilas are mezcals, but not all mezcals are tequila”). Additionally, just as Jalisco has done with tequila, other areas have dubbed their mezcal with a name to identify it with the region. For instance, in Sonora it’s bacanora and in Chihuahua it’s sotol.

A common misconception (which makes for a good bar bet, certain to win you a drink or two) is that agave is a cactus; it’s not. The agave is a succulent, related to the lily and amaryllis family.

Sales of tequila are hot, hot, hot (as are, increasingly, sales of mezcal), especially at the luxury end, where bottles start at $50. Case sales in the U.S. are around eleven million annually.

But all is not joy in the tequila industry. Ironically, the independent blue agave farmers are up against it financially. It is very hard to make a living when the grower gets only one crop every eight years or so and receives so little money for it. So, many are turning to where the “green” is, tearing out picturesque agave fields and planting corn for ethanol. Obviously, this is not good for the long-term health of the industry.

But there is joy in the present. Our little town of Sayulita, just north of Puerto Vallarta, is a mecca for tequila lovers thanks to the Sayulita Fish Taco Tequila Bar, on the town square. Here, tequila maven and good host Mark Alberto Holt has created a cozy and welcoming all-tequila bar next to the famous fish taco restaurant he owns with his wife. Mark has 220 tempting tequilas as well as vast knowledge of the spirit. Here are eight of his favorites, which he served to mi amigo and man about town Gabriel Villarrubia and me, Pancho Schwartz.

Don Fernando Tequila Blanco—Double distilled. Starts off with a peppery nose; it’s clean and spicy with lots of complexity.
Don Eduardo Blanco—Subtle nose, but full and excellent taste. The pepper overtone is there but in thoughtful balance.
Corzo Tequila Reposado—Fine nose with a rich, complex taste; mellow throughout and a fine, long finish.
Clase Azul Reposado—This spirit comes in a large, blue, hand-painted porcelain bottle, and the tequila lives up to its fancy encapsulation. Almost a shy nose, but rich and full with sweet caramel notes and nice hints of lemon.
Don Julio 1942 Añejo—A superior expression with a sweetness and smoothness much resembling a very fine cognac. My choice of the group.
Don Fulano Añejo—Well aged, but retains its refreshing, peppery taste.
Casa Noble Añejo Special Reserve—Dark, brooding, rich, and warm; it shows its five years of wood aging in the taste. Very limited production.
Tres, Cuarto, y Cinco—Comes in a beautiful hand-blown glass bottle about eighteen inches high. Very rich, amber color; a huge taste with very assertive wood notes.
Ed Schwartz has been involved in many aspects of fine wine for 30 years and has worked with top wineries in California, Italy and France. His writings on wine, food and travel have appeared in the SF Chronicle, LA Times and Image magazine. His website is www.edschwartzpr.com

White is the color of my true love's Tequila

Growing up in 1980's northern California, and being a good time rock-n-roll sort of fella, Tequila represented a number of things to my crew. It represented the truest way to get drunk - "liquid cocaine" we called it, no less. It represented the drinker at his roughest - the hardest of the hard, a toughie, a yardie...and it represented the color of kings...Gold, Cuervo gold. As those of my tribe learned right early on, you rarely felt like a king the day after, or if you were of those we called the "fallen", that night. Ah, the joys of youth. Luckily, as I matured as drinker and man, so did my appreciation and knowledge of a good Tequila. Gone were the days of Cuervo Gold (Though Cuervo is a wonderful brand with many great bottles to its name), and in were the joys of variety. Variety of flavors, brands, ages and tastes. Over time, as any Tequila drinker knows, we all develop our personal preferences in regards to what goes in our glass- and that usually changes a bit over time as well. What time in a bottle(s) has given me is a true love of White and Silver Tequilas - Blancos y Platas to the devoted. To talk of Blancos is to talk of the purity of youth, the original from of Tequila, the naked blue agave. Nothing added, barely rested (30 days max usually), often referred to as "Joven" or young, and most often fresh from the distillation process, if not kept a short time in stainless steel tanks. If Gold was the color of kings and conquistadors, then Plata is the clarity of the Agave. Though colorless, don't be fooled - in this form you will find the honest play of the pure flavors and magic of the Agave, as well as a sweetness those unfamiliar with Blancos are often surprised by.

"When we have the white tequila, straight from the still, we say it is like having a beautiful woman. Then you can dress it how you want it, you can use French white oak barrels instead of American oak, put it in sherry barrels . . . You try to be consistent but there are no two equal tequilas. So we are dealing with something alive." - Miguel Cideno Cruz, plant manager of Tequila Herradura

When I got over my mistaken beliefs that Blancos were a "lesser" Tequila, I was a kid in a liquid candy store, exclusively living in a White world for some time. After a bit of this and a bit of that, I found my glass the day I drank for the first time Sauza's Tres Generaciones Plata. The bottle always has a hold on me, clear with a light touch of blue, it looks vintage and classic, and stinking of Mexico, another love of mine. A triple distilled Tequila, made from only 100% fully ripened, estate grown Agave, my poison here has an intense, pure flavor, that early on tasted like something I could not even call Tequila. Of course, that was my newness to the Blancos and Platas - most of us come into this world thinking we know what Tequila should taste like, but hopefully all learn we will never truly know its final flavor.... I digress - It has an amazingly strong nose, almost pushing you out of the glass, and a hot, spicy taste that leaves taking a deep breath before diving in for another sip. It hits your belly warm, and its buzz had me hooked early, like a teenager's first... well, anything. With a bold edge, its flavor remains sweet and exciting. For a guy who spends days and nights at a bar known for its 230+ bottles of Tequila (Sayulita's own SFT Tequila Bar, of course!), it is no surprise that this is my fall-back when I just want a no risk, top shelf, solid glass of Tequila. Some of my most significant nights have been spent with a bottle of 3G, and they all ended wonderfully, in no small part due to its magic.

Recently I was given a bottle of Corzo Silver. Born of the Cazadores family of Tequilas, you really wouldn't know this by the bottle or the Tequila inside. First glance brings thoughts of Mexico city, sharp corners, modern vistas, and an elegance that draws you in. Not being the biggest fan of Cazadores Blanco, I was glad this was a very different kid born to a big family. Lacking some of the "gas" that I love in 3G, that love was equaled by hints of soft Vanilla and citrus spice touches. A warm finish, and low oily taste has put this high on my shelf as a favorite white to celebrate with. At close to double the price of my beloved 3G, it is definitely an elegant drink for fancy nights.

Fancy nights - surely not what I would have labeled my earliest experimentation with Tequila, nor the mornings after. Though I am not that young or that white anymore - thank the liquor gods that watch over me - my Tequila most nights is.

Welcome to the Tequila Journal...

My name is Gabbi Villarrubia, and I like to drink. Like is a soft word in a hard world to describe my love of drinking, and even though my world is far from hard, I like to soften the edges with a drink. Often. Though I would comfortably say I like all sorts of drinks and elixirs... mixed, shaken, stirred, shot, frozen, white, brown or black and tan... the queen of my dream bar is our Mexican princess, Tequila.

My love suits my life, since I live in a place well suited for my tastes...Mexico. Not just Mexico, mind you, but Sayulita, Mexico. I live here with my wife and partner in freedom, Andrea, and our son, Maximo Lobo, and if you care to know more, visit our world at www.gabrea.com. Our town is small, but dynamic and international, and our scene is one of joviality and family. Sun and surf is the name of the game, but for those of us not born to ride waves, we ride highs of another sort. We drink. I drink. And I drink at the SFT Tequila bar www.sayulitafishtaco.com - a place for a guy like me to celebrate the joys of life, and the wonder of a great glass of Tequila. This bar has a short history, but an amazing future, and I feel lucky to have this kind of place to hang my hat. I enjoy drinking tequila and studying its amazing varieties to such an extent, and have met so many others with the same love, that I have decided to write about it. I like to write about things I drink, things I read about, people I meet at the bar, and the widom of those around me - all through the rose or rage red glasses of a Tequila glass. I hope you dig the ramblings that are born from all the above.

This is my journal, these are my words, and this is my life. Take it for what it is - best served with a glass of Tequila.

Wisdom from behind the bar

I don't just drink at my favorite bar, I listen... Mark talks. Here is some recent wisdom I learn and live by...

"With all the rush-rush in life, I have gone on a new campaign. "Sipping for a longer Life"
By slowing down, it lets a person relax for a moment and regain ones self. It's a fact that we are on this stinkin' planet for a very short time. Maybe it's not about how much we can get done, but the quality of what we have done. Sip and ponder - The SFT Tequilapeutic lifestyle. Charging the Hunger, Sipping for life."

Mark Alberto, the man behind the bar, my guru, mentor, the man.
SFT Tequila Bar www.sayulitafishtaco.com

Sweet Sweet Tequila, the blood of Christ or how I learned to stop worrying and love the bottle(s)

I have had a long and fruitful love affair with alcohol. I often want to write about it , but hesitate, full of worry that my loved ones will see my affection for this bottled elixir in a wrong light. I don't worry much, as a man of 39 years, well schooled in hard knocks as much as private school blues, I have been the kind of fella that can walk the line, without falling in the ring of fire (thanks Johnny). But enough of the trappings of worry and concern, lets move on the carelessness that got us into this fabulous situation! Love! Alcohol! Life! Their now everlasting connection. I live in Mexico, and our spirit of choice here is Tequila. The world has really gotten to know Tequila in the last 10 years, at that point exiting the era where Tequila was purely discussed in terms of the worm and Cuervo Gold. Luckily for us, the magic and long time crafted art of Tequila distilling has hit the world by storm, and most anywhere in the world you can find unique and awe inspiring Tequila (and Tequila highs...). Here in Mexico you can go a long time before running out of new bottles to empty, and recently, my friend Mark Alberto Holt has opened Sayulita's first Tequila bar, the S.F.T. Tequila bar - making it even harder to not have something new to savor. Mark is a local legend, known in the surf community and world wide as the proprietor of Sayulita Fish Taco - tasty for its food and wave riders. Since it opened, I love stopping by for a sipper or 4 (shooting tequila is for the slop, or for those in a hurry), and discussing with tourists or locals (but mostly with Mark) the intimacies of the most recent glass to touch our lips. We track our drinks, rating them on a handy 1-5 scale in a great guide Mark has whipped up, and discuss the good and bad. Mostly good, as stated by my often repeated mangled quote from Will Rogers -"I never met a Tequila I didn't like". Tonight my friend Ed Schwartz, Sayulita local, all around wine king, and writer of all things alcohol, asked me to join him at the Tequila bar to write an article for one of the magazines he writes for. My challenging job? Sharing in the extra tequila, casually making comments about my likes and rare dislikes, and just generally drinking and discussing Tequila for a few hours. We really dove into the deep end, Mark treating us like kings, tasting all sorts of delights. From the simple Blancos, barely aged, to the spicy Reposados, rested for a while in wood, but not too long. Then came the kings, the warn and m apley Anejos, starting to bring to mind the the flavors of Whiskey and spice. Lastly, yet right on time, came the Ultra Anejos... Oh my. Amazing depth, warmth, and an earthy flavor that you would not expect from Tequila. And I end with that, the simplicity of this love affair. Tequila is not what you think it is, not even close to it. If you fall in love with it, the goal is to always search for what you think it is, but never find it. Its just like love.