January 9, 2007

Greetings from Arandas, Jalisco!!!!!   Arandas is im the middle of festival season and the town is on fire!  If you know Demigods of Tequila Reggie Slater or Michael Harter, ask them about festival time in Arandas!   Festival time in Mexico is a time for remembering family, honoring traditon, seeing old friends and making new ones and giving thanks for another year!   Here in Arandas, festival starts on the 4th of January and continues on through the 12.   Though there is some serious drinking taking place poeple are happy and hospitable.   Every year on the 7 of January, the mañanitas are sung to the Virgin of Guadalupe at the Parroquia de Santa Maria.  The town muscian, sponsored by a few businesses and citizens then go off to sing songs at the houses of various sponsors.  All of this starts at 6 am!!!  and normally goes until 1 pm.  Amazing.  

 I also came to clelbrate the 84th birthday of Tequila's most famous bartender, Don Javier.  Don Javier owns Tequila's most famous bar, La Capilla, a place frequented by friends from all over the world and noted locals such as Jaime and Eduardo Orendain, the owners of Arette Tequila.   At la Capilla I was joined by Dre Masso , Henry Besant, Jerod, Anastacia, Eriic, Gianfranco and of course all othe regulars: Don Felipe, Alberto, Don Raul and Jose Luis to name but a  few.   We took a huge birhtday cake and sung the mañanitas to Don javier in Spanish, English, Italian and French!!!!  Don Javier is one of the most giving persons I have ever been acquainted.  He embodies everything that is great about the hospitality business.  It is a pity there are not more people like Don Javier! Feliz Cumpleaños Don javier.  Please remmeber we will keep you to opening our gift on your 99th birthday!!!!!  So after copias Batangas, we had to take off to Guad so we could eventually make it back to Arandas.  This is when I called my dear friend Jaime Orendain.

 Jaime is the consumate family man.  On this 7th of January it was also his son's birhtday, which was why he was not at La Capilla.  However after spending all and most of the evening with his family he still picked up my call and told me to meet him in Guadalajara.  It turns out that guadalajara on a Sunday night is dead.  There are very few options to have a civilized glass of Tequila.  Luckily we found one and proceeded to drink 2 bottles of Arette Añejo in 45 minutes.  Come on there were 9 of us drinking.  And as great as Arette Tequila is, what was more amazing was the company!   This is something money can never buy. Jaime , thank you  and your family yet again!   Feliz Año Nuevo to everyone!  Viva México!!!!! 

January 5, 2007

 Feliz Año Nuevo!!!!!   I hope everyone out there had a great new year's!  I rarely go out on New Year's as I prefer to spend it with my favorite people and not 10 million people.  However I hope eveyone spent time with their loved ones and hoisted a glass of 100% agave!

 Our annual demigod trip of tequila will be on the 14th of January.  Those lucky few on the trip will fall in love with Jalisco and the Tequila country.   If you are interested in U.S." premier tequila club please check out another part of the website for info on how you one day can go to jalisco with us!

If you like Chinaco tequila, Tommy;s will host German Gonzalez.  German and his brothers own Chinaco but it is defianltely German who runs the show.   He will be talking  about Chicaco Negro on January21, 2007 at a private dinner.  If you woulod like to attend, please email me at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it   Space is limited to 25 people.  We will start at 4:30.  For details go to our events section.

Talk soon!  Have a great weekend!