We’ve been a fan of tequila as it’s so versatile whether you’re sipping it straight or making a dynamic cocktail. We wanted to know more about this spirit and took some time with Jaime Salas, Tequila Expert and Head of Agave Advocacy at Jose Cuervo to talk about National Margarita Day which is Feb 22nd, how we can pair this beverage and what he looks for when it comes to tequila.
ATHLEISURE MAG: What is a Mixologist?
JAIME SALAS: A Mixologist is someone who concocts cocktails and they don’t necessarily have to have had come from bartending if that explains it a bit more. You have a bartender that can be equally as good, but a Mixologist is someone who plays with flavors, liquid form like a cook would, but not necessarily having had that backdrop. So you could be both, but you can be a Mixologist that hasn’t been a bartender.
AM: So you’re the Tequila Expert and the Head of Agave Advocacy at Jose Cuervo, what does that role entail and why do you enjoy it?
JS: Wow, that role entails in short form, me advocating and talking to people – anyone who will listen to information about Tequila and agave. It’s about the culture, the provenance, the heritage – all of those things especially as you can imagine, working with Jose Cuervo which has had over 250 years of Tequila making, experience and know-how. It’s an opportunity for me to be able to spread the joy that is Tequila if you will. More importantly, it’s about engaging in training, bartenders, consumers alike on the benefits of how to mix a drink to your point earlier. Or even looking at the cultural significance behind the production and what and how we do what we do. So advocacy for me is really about spreading the word and getting people to talk and getting people to better understand our products and more importantly, the category that they belong to.
PHOTO CREDIT | Jaime Salas’ IG @jthetequilaguy
AM: That’s fantastic!
What do you look for when you are trying a tequila?
JS: Well the first thing that you mentioned is what I love about it – that’s my favorite part about it by the way. It’s the ability to be able to explore flavors – not just Tequila ha ha. Of course, I love Tequila! But it’s about trying flavors in a cocktail and also the Tequila itself. So when it comes to Tequila as a base spirit for example, in a Margarita or what have you. I want something citrus, something that’s bright and has a lot of agave presence. Something that speaks to me and says that it is clearly Tequila. Something that has a bit of terroir – that salinity, that grittiness, and that sort of Earthiness. Tequila is a very unique spirit that comes from the Asparagaceae (formerly Agavaceae) succulent. There is nothing quite like it. I think that I look for all of those flavors that speak to that.
AM: We love Tequila. Here at Athleisure Mag, we’re always talking about why it’s a great beverage to drink. National Margarita Day is Feb 22nd. As a Tequila fan, what is a great go-to classic that we can enjoy.
JS: Well that’s just it. Part of what we’re doing today is showing folks how they can enjoy National Margarita Day at home or out and about in a ready to drink fashion. One that’s easy to level up, one that’s easy to enjoy when you’re entertaining guests and you want to enjoy the cocktail.
What I have here is Jose Cuervo Authentic Margaritas. We have the world’s #1 Margarita lineup in 3 delectable flavors. I wanted to showcase 3 different ways that you can level up!
We have the authentic Mango Marg, clearly very tropical and if you have ever had a slice of mango with a little chili sauce, so we have this Mango Marg with a chili salt rim over the rocks and it’s a pairing made in heaven. You have the brightness, the citric quality and the tropical note from the mango. It’s comingled with that heat so think of sweet and heat when you think of the Mango Marg with that chili lime rim. Then we have that authentic Lime Margarita. Here it’s more of a sensorial play so we have it with that highball glass. So think of it with a seltzer, but don’t fear, you can use different seltzer flavors if you like. You can use something more tropical if you like. You can add another level of flavor to your classic authentic Lime Margarita and it’s going to make it a sparkly Margarita. Then we have our authentic Pink Lemonade and here we thought that we would showcase how easy it is to pour into a large vessel or a punch bowl and layer in some contrasting lemon wheels which accentuate further that citric note and have your guests serve themselves. That’s more time to celebrate and less time for prepping.
AM: Obviously, you can have Margaritas alone, but they’re better with friends and food pairings. It’s so tasty with chili, tacos and steaks. What would you do in terms of pairings?
JS: You hit it spot on! For me, it’s all about flavor profiles. I think that Mexican in general works really well right? It’s a great cultural pairing. These 2 things were brought up together if you will. That savoriness that we look for in Mexican cooking – there’s a little bit of zestiness, brightness depending on the dish, fattiness depending on the type of taco - for example you get the meat that you fill it with. Clearly, avocado and guacamole can be done in 50 million different ways. So the idea is, getting something that is equally as bright or rich or savory so that the Margarita can be either a contrast or a compliment. But you want an ice-cold Margarita in hand, perhaps a Mango one that is going to go really great with a Brisket Taco or a taco that is on the fattier side. Those are all very complimentary flavors. My general rule of thumb would be, get something bright and zesty. Mexican is a great go-to, but always along the lines of something that is either going to contrast or compliment the very thing that you are sipping alongside that.
AM: With National Margarita Day coming up, what are you guys doing?
JS: You can visit us at Cuervo Margarita Shake-Up and you’ll learn more about our authentic Margarita flavors, you’ll learn more about how to host with them and clearly how to celebrate National Margarita Day. More interestingly, you’ll have the opportunity to submit your own recipe and flavor profile for a chance to win up to $100,000 in cash and prizes. The idea is that here we have our Tropical Paradise Margarita which launched last year. You or I next year could be celebrating one of our friend’s submissions assuming that they win. That I think is a point of pride that I think that anybody would be happy to be able to share!
AM: So fun! As an aside, if we were able to go home with you, how many Tequila bottles do you have in terms of items that you have samples? I’m assuming you have something that is the equivalent of a wine room.
JS: Yeah, more then I care to really admit to! Probably too many that should really be cohabitating with me right now. I think that I’m upwards right now of about 600 bottles –
AM: Oh wow!
JS: As an enthusiast you know, I love to play around with cocktails and more importantly, I like to collect and share those Tequilas with my friends.
Read the latest issue of Athleisure Mag.
