The Tasting Panel magazine

October 2014

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october 2014  /  the tasting panel  /  7 PHOTO: HARDY WILSON REVOLUCION Fan #1: Andy Minchow, owner, Ration & Dram, Atlanta, GA With years of industry expertise landing Andy Minchow behind the stick at some of the South's top cocktail bars, Minchow made a conscious effort to do things a little differently at Ration & Dram. "My last restaurant special- ized in craft cocktails," explains Minchow, "but Ration & Dram is a family-friendly neighborhood spot. It's the kind of place parents will want to go to and kids will want to go to. It's the best of both worlds!" With this please the people mentality in mind, Minchow turned to Tequila REVOLUCION to help make a stand that may be rather surprising to read in these pages: "Sometimes, I think the cocktail movement has gone too far on the specialty drinks spectrum. I mean, those drinks can be really cool, and it's a great way to run a program, but I wanted to do something a little more approachable. That's my revolutionary moment in this industry," he explains. Michow explains that "less is more" is at the heart of his cocktail revolution. "We work to make sure we don't have too many ingredients in our cocktails," he says. "People should be able to go to their local liquor store and buy half of the ingredients—and that's a really revolutionary idea these days." The proof is in the pudding with Minchow's Pistola d'Or, a three ingredient cocktail that's big and boozy—and needs a premium tequila to shine in such a simple drink. "Tequila REVOLUCION is really elegant, and it gives a great character and smoothness to this drink," says Minchow. REVOLUCION Fan #2: Violeta Rodriguez, Bar Manager, Revolucion 1910 Cantina, Fullerton, CA It doesn't take a rocket scientist to guess that Tequila REVOLUCION is a standout at a restaurant named—what else?—Revolucion 1910 Cantina. "We've been serv- ing Tequila REVOLUCION for years," explains Violeta Rodriguez. "Our guests really like this tequila and they all know it by now: the bottle, the name . . . it's a really good fit here!" But Tequila REVOLUCION stands out for more than its name: "The tequila is really good," continues Rodriguez, who also says that the restau- rant's owner, Alberto Ochoa, is a fan of the tequila. "I love the añejo—it is perfect neat. It doesn't need anything else." Keeping the revolutionary spirit alive, Rodriguez has combined two classic cocktails with the Reveltini, a refreshing Margarita-meets-Martini that's become a favorite among guests. "I think it is really fun to take a Margarita and serve it Martini-style," she explains. REVOLUCION Fan #3: Danny Louie, Bar Manager, Tacolicious, San Francisco, CA Danny Louie doesn't bat an eyelash when we ask him about his most revolutionary moment in the industry. "It has to be when I learned how to make a Sazerac," he says. "About a decade ago, I didn't even know what it was, and when I first had it, I thought, 'Wow! How can something so simple be so fascinating?'" Louie is similarly fascinated by the simple nuances of Tequila REVOLUCION: "It's a great expression of the terroir of tequila," he explains. "It is one of those tequilas that really has the essence of what an agave spirit should be," he continues. Louie's revolutionary moment led him directly to the Import Export, a take on a Sazerac made with Tequila REVOLUCION Añejo. "It's a great variation on a classic, and that," he says, "is a beautiful thing." At Ration & Dram in Atlanta, owner Andy Minchow is revo- lutionary in thinking simple. At Revolucion 1910 Cantina in Fullerton, CA, Bar Manager Violeta Rodriguez enjoys the Reveltini. Pistola d'Or ◗ 2 oz. Tequila REVOLUCION Reposado ◗ 1 oz. Contratto Vermouth Bianco ◗ 2 barspoons ginger liqueur ◗ Stir and strain into a coupe with an expressed citrus zest. PHOTO: PARKER SMITH PHOTO: LEIGH CASTELLI Reveltini ◗ 1 oz. Tequila REVOLUCION Silver ◗ ½ oz. orange juice ◗ ½ oz. pineapple juice ◗ Splash sweet and sour ◗ Splash Red Bull Import Export ◗ 1 oz. Tequila REVOLUCION Añejo ◗ 1 oz. Camus VS Cognac ◗ 1 barspoon gum syrup ◗ 1 dashes Peychaud's Bitters ◗ 2 dashes Aztec Chocolate Bitters ◗ Absinthe rinse ◗ Build the cocktail in a mixing glass; add ice. Stir and strain into a Nick and Nora glass. Express lemon peel oils over cocktail and around rim.

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