Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/205467
PHOTO: LEIGH CASTELLI PHOTO: LEIGH CASTELLI SAN DIEGO: Staying Classy Against a stunning backdrop of the sprawling Pacific, Cusp Restaurant at Hotel La Jolla was the perfect site for the Tour's newest stop, San Diego. "It's a great experience for all the vendors to see our space because we are relatively new," admits Mark Spears, General Manager of Cusp. "This is a wonderful tasting because we're always looking to further educate our staff, affirm our wine and spirits offerings, and expand our program with products that make sense." PHOTO: LEON BORENSZTEIN As Regional Sales Manager of Liber Group Inc., Jocelyn Pointkoski has seen Panama Red Rum flourish since its founding in 2011. "We are the only premium over-proof aged rum in Canada, and we knew we had a product with the potential to be worldwide" remarks Jocelyn, a goal that is much closer to reaching since the Panama Red 108 Overproof Rum won a Double Gold. "We want to expand our brand organically by putting our product in front of people who truly know and appreciate great spirits." PHOTO: LEIGH CASTELLI Not only did Levi Walker, Craft Spirits Manager at Young's Market Company, join us for the Tour, but as one of the esteemed judges in this year's San Francisco World Spirits Competition, he also played a crucial role in awarding some of the Double Golds showcased. "It's easy to stay up with brands and trends, but keeping up with the best of the best can be hard," reports Levi. "This Tour is a barometer to compare your own bar program against in order to stay up with the competition and offer the best available products to consumers." Both on-premise and off-premise trade benefit from the Tour as they discover new exceptional products and learn about the unique stories behind the brands. Clockwise from left: Regional Sales Manager Jocelyn Pointkoski of Panama Red Rum; Jacqueline Stoll, Wine Specialist at BevMo!; Master of Whiskey Ed "Dirt" Adams; Robert Keller, Bar Manager at San Diego's Il Postino. 120 / the tasting panel / november 2013 TP1113_109-156.indd 120 10/24/13 9:16 AM