Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/57654
the whole time, obviously," he contin- ues, laughing. Walk softly and carry a big . . . gun? In his new capacity as National Account Mixologist for William Grant & Sons, gun- collecting Gaston works closely with big name, high-volume accounts to create comprehensive and modern cocktail programs. "One of my proudest moments in this industry was getting Chili's to squeeze fresh juices," he says. But his number-one piece of wisdom in guiding the industry is even simpler: "The most important ingredient in a cocktail is a smile." Since that auspicious conversation, Gaston has translated his natural affin- ity for spirits and service into a success- ful career as the Milagro Tequila Brand Ambassador and, as of January of this year, National Accounts Mixologist for William Grant & Sons. Gaston estimates that his work keeps him on the road about 250 days a year, but his passion doesn't turn off once he touches Vegas soil: With a "mad scientist" home bar/lab in his garage, Gaston literally lives with his work, and on the night we met up with him, he was back behind the stick at Nora's for an annual guest bartending gig that draws crowds of cocktailians from all over the city. As he mixed up batches of Milagro cocktails, one thing was abundantly clear: Gaston Martinez is a lucky guy whose lifelong passions are united in a job that truly is all work and all play. Milagro: With a passion for hospitality flowing through his veins, Gaston eventually found his way to Nora's Italian Cuisine, a onetime neighborhood BYOB that blossomed into one of the most highly- regarded mixology bars in Vegas during the course of his 13 year tenure. "When I started working there, I was the server, the cashier, the busser," admits Gaston. When the restaurant opened its now-famous bar in 2001, Gaston had never spent time behind the stick, so he enrolled in Southern Wine & Spirits' Spirits Academy class, led by Francesco Lafranconi, a move that would change the course of his entire life. "That class opened my eyes to spir- its and what was out there," he recalls. "I always loved this industry, but I felt at home behind the bar. It allowed me to create and opened up the creative side of my brain." His inspiration ignited, Gaston quickly immersed himself in the world of mixology and established relation- ships with some of the biggest names in Vegas: "I had the background on taste and flavor, which is one thing you need to succeed as a mixologist, but I was introduced to mixology by the best of the best," says Gaston."I've got three mentors; it's a small group in Vegas, so we're pretty tight. I took some from Bobby G[leason], some from Francesco, some from Tony [Abou-Gamin]." With a powerhouse team in his corner, Gaston delved into the world of cocktail competitions, and although it wasn't all glory in the winner's circle (in one early competition, Gaston recounts difficulty cracking the shaker leading to sweaty hands leading to dropping said shaker and spraying its contents all over the judging panel), a 2006 outing at the USBG Pan American Games in Lima, Peru would also change the course of his life, because that was when he met Charlotte Voisey, the cur- rent Portfolio Ambassador for William Grant. "About two years later, Charlotte called me up and indirectly asked me if I knew anybody that spoke English and Spanish, lives in the West Coast and might be interested in being a Brand Ambassador for Milagro Tequila," recalls Gaston. "She had me in mind The Artistic Tequila "Milagro is a brand that embraces old tradition with modern techniques, and has been one of the first innovators in tequila to take that leap toward things like triple-distillation and twisting the classic style," explains Gaston. "That's the difference between Milagro and everything else; it's an artistic tequila, very agave-forward, yet delicate. You can taste all of the expressions, and each one has multiple layers in its flavor profile. The Resposado tells a story on your palate. It comes in with a little vanilla, a little spice and finishes off a bit tart." march 2012 / the tasting panel / 69