Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/551222
100 / the tasting panel / august 2015 WHAT WE'RE DRINKING I t should come as no surprise that the man who took the classic refreshing Mexican beverage horchata and reintroduced it to American con- sumers as the ever-popular RumChata is back at reinventing classics with his twist on Mexico's most famous export: tequila. Agave Loco, which means "crazy agave" in Spanish, plays with the spirit in a way that's as approachable and full of character as its name. The backstory on this tequila is fascinating: "Its origin was a result of discovering a little known process where people stored peppers in tequila to preserve them in place of vinegar," explains Tom Maas, Agave Loco Founder and Master Blender. "The reason was that the peppers kept a sweeter, less bitter, flavor. We found that the tequila was special also due to the pepper oils infused." AGAVE LOCO PEPPER CURED TEQUILA IS A BLAST IN THE GLASS by Becky Tsadik / photos by AJ Kane Pepper Cured for Victor Baheza, at Chicago's Taco Joint, puts the finishing touches on the res- taurant's ever-popular Chile Mango Margarita featuring Agave Loco Pepper Cured Tequila.