The Bite Magazine - Spring/Summer 2024 - Issue 35

bitedrinks He also operated Ten Room and worked at the Lab Bar, which had an extensive list of 150 cocktails. In 2003, he met Julio Bermejo, a highly regarded tequila ambassador, and fell in love with tequila after a 100% agave tasting. “I worked with [Julio] in San Francisco for a bit at a place called Tommy’s, the home of the Tommy’s Margarita, a Mecca for tequila and a family-run business,” Dre told Drinks International online. “This person probably knows more about tequila than anyone else.” A year later, the newly established tequila connoisseur co-founded the Worldwide Cocktail Club, a drinks consul- tancy focused on bartender training, with Henry Besant. In 2005, they opened Green & Red, a Shoreditch Mexican venue serving tequila cocktails with an extensive agave list and food from the tequila region, and co-wrote Margarita Rocks. After talks with Pernod Ricard, the two men launched their tequila brand with expert assistance from Jesús Hernandez. The late Henry Besant, who died in 2013, began working in the drinks industry at age 16. Two years after washing glass- es, he found a job at Chelsea bar Dome working with Dick Bradsell, renowned for his innovative work with cocktails and modern classic creations. He moved to Mas in Notting Hill, became a general manager and director of private members club 57 Jermyn Street, oversaw bar operations at St Martins Lane and Sanderson hotels, Rockwell Bar & Restaurant and was the director of Lonsdale. Henry was named Best New Bar and Best Bar Manager by Class and Flava magazines and a back-to-back winner of Time Out ‘ Bar Of The Year’. Alongside Dre, he consulted for Ron- nie Scott’s, Bungalow 8, Alfred, Wyborowa, Don Julio, Par- tida Tequila, Beefeater Gin, Angostura and Ocean Spray. He also set up the industry consulting firm Strangehill with Nick Strangeway and Cairbry Hill and established the Tahona Soci- ety, a two-day education programme for bartenders passion- ate about tequila. The Olmeca Altos Tequila process starts with the piñas (core bulb in the agave plant) being cut into halves and hand-loaded into three traditional brick ovens. The piñas must be carefully stacked to allow the steam to penetrate throughout the cook- ing process. After this, they are slow-cooked for 36 hours at 200ºF and left for an additional eight hours to cool, allowing the sweet agave syrup to drain and be used later in the fermen- tation process. Destilería Colonial de Jalisco is both a modern roller mill and traditional tahona millstone. Tequila is crafted from a blend of two distillates: pure tahona juice and the juice from the roller mill. After cooking, the agave is shredded and pressed using the roller mill. More agave is crushed using a two-ton volcanic tahona stone to squeeze every last flavourful drop from the agave plant. The tahona wheel dates back 500 years and mim- ics the walking speed of a donkey, taking two hours to crush 1.5 tons of agave. After the milling and crushing processes, the extracted fibrous pulp and sweet agave juices are fermented using cultured yeast initially isolated from the agave plant. Olmeca Altos is distilled two times in small batches of 100% copper stills, with matu- ration processed in ex-Kentucky bourbon casks. The brand’s sustainability ethos sees 98% of organic waste from produc- tion composted and re-integrated into the agave fields’ soil. Olmeca Altos’ tequilas include Plata, recognised for its nat- ural smoothness and awarded by the International Spirits Challenge, Tequila & Mezcal Masters, the International Wine & Spirits Competition and the Ultimate Spirits Challenge. It was voted #1 Tequila for Margaritas in the 2023 Drinks Inter- national poll. It has an aromatic and nutty nose, slightly cit- ric and sweet, with herbal notes of steamed agave. The fresh, sweet citrus is pleasant and long-lasting, with an aftertaste of lime, lemon, and agave and a well-balanced, lasting finish. Reposado is another multi-award-winning tequila from dis- tinguished global spirit competitions like the Tequila Masters, San Francisco World Spirits Competition, Critics Challenge, and Concours Mondial Bruxelles. It has sweet citrus notes of orange and grapefruit, complementary notes of cooked aga- ve, fruity and fresh vanilla, and a woody aspect. The taste is robust yet pleasant, with tannins, citrus notes, and a long and well-balanced finish. Añejo has equally won awards at the International Spirits Challenge, the Tequila & Mezcal Masters, the International Wine & Spirits Competition, and the Ultimate Spirits Chal- lenge. It has a more complex profile that is perfectly balanced and has a unique taste with notes of dried fruit, almonds, va- nilla and chocolate. Añejo can enhance a Tequila Manhattan with vermouth, smoked or grapefruit bitters, and Margarita Blueberry with fresh blueberries, lime juice, agave nectar, and triple sec. Other cocktails made with the tequilas include Cactus Cool- er with orange, tangerine, lime and cranberry juices, Triple Sec or Cointreau and lemon-lime soda; Batanga with cola and fresh lime juice; Strawberry Margarita with strawberries, lime juice, honey and triple sec; Pink Margarita with grapefruit or strawberry/raspberry liqueur, lime juice and simple syrup; Tequila Slammer with soda, ginger beer, champagne, 7-up or similar; and Smoky Paloma with grapefruit peels, Lapsang Sucking tea leaves, sugar and water. Olmeca Altos’ bar-quality ready-to-serve margaritas in classic lime and strawberry can be enjoyed over ice at home. Their premium ingredients combine Altos Plata with triple sec, nat- ural lime or strawberry flavouring, and agave syrup to create a sophisticated, balanced taste. Easy to make and fully cus- tomisable, Altos Margarita allows you to express your inner bartender and unleash your cocktail creativity. Add a salted rim for an instant classic, your favourite garnish, fresh chilli, or hot sauce for a spicy delight. The 750 ml glass bottles of classic lemon and strawberry are available online at Olmeca Altos and participating retailers. https://olmecaaltos.com