Agave 101 at Hilton Los Cabos with Ana Martinez

Hilton Los Cabos Tequila Master Ana Martinez conducts an agave spirits tasting. Photo by Fran Miller

If you deliberation that tequila is simply an additive to your favourite margarita, Ana Martinez volition alteration your perception. The nonmigratory tequila maestro at Hilton Los Cabos conducts agave spirits tastings within the resort’s Sotol Bar and its La Biblioteca, wherever a museum-like show of luxe tequilas and mezcals surrounds a high-top barroom table. Martinez’s joyousness and enthusiasm is infectious; she loves agave spirits, and aft her 1 hr class, you surely volition too. 

Martinez has studied Mexican tequilas, mezcals, and agaves successful the aforesaid mode a vino sommelier has studied vinification. A starring expert, she loves sharing her cognition with Hilton Los Cabos guests. She shares her firsthand cognition of spirit profiles and the region’s maestro distillers, on with ample samplings and tiny bites portion discussing the past of assorted Mexican regions that turn agave plants and distill their spirits. 

Tequila & Mezcal show astatine Hilton Los Cabos' La Biblioteca. Photo by Fran Miller

Hilton Los Cabos La Biblioteca. Photo by Fran Miller

While not lone clarifying however and wherever tequilas and mezcals are made (tequila indispensable travel from the tequila portion successful the Mexican authorities of Jalisco and indispensable beryllium produced from Weber Blue agave; mezcal tin travel from anyplace successful Mexico, from much than 30 types of agave), Martinez shares tips connected however to prime your favorites astatine home. Hint: portion determination are astir 2000 registered tequila brands, determination are lone 200 distilleries. If you similar a peculiar brand, chances are bully that you’ll similar different that is crafted successful the aforesaid distillery, the conception being akin to uncovering a winemaker you similar who crafts varietals for galore antithetic wineries. 

Martinez covers the root of the nasty tequila/mezcal worm. She explains the “why” down the unsocial curvature of the varied illustration glasses, 1 of which is of her ain design. She describes however to work and construe a tequila label, and she is not bashful astir revealing her ain agave spirits preferences, and her reasoning. (She loves ultra-premium marque Loco for its boutique prime and axenic agave essence sans oak oregon different added flavors that are recovered successful galore different brands.)  

Hilton Los Cabos Tequila Master Ana Martinez with 1 of her favourite tequilas. Photo by Fran Miller

In summation to her relation arsenic nonmigratory tequila master, Martinez serves arsenic the resort’s adjunct manager of nutrient & beverage; she tin make a signature agave cocktail for a peculiar occasion, specified arsenic a candlelit, beachfront meal overlooking the Sea of Cortez. She tin consult connected a curated barroom for larger radical events that mightiness instrumentality spot wrong 1 of the resort’s varied restaurant venues, each with panoramic water views. And she volition besides gladly pb guests done Sotol’s “Agave Bible” which lists tasting notes for astir 200 agave spirits. 

“I bask the accidental to make experiences and to stock everything I cognize astir agave spirits with our guests and squad members,” said Martinez. “I emotion being capable to thatch the taste portion and traditions of tiny communities and explicate that determination is much to agave spirits than the large brands that person a larger beingness successful the market. The portion of conducting a tasting that I bask the astir is being capable to transmit however the generations and the humanities sensation of a assemblage is perceived successful the last merchandise of the agave spirits.” 

Hilton Los Cabos Agave Spirits Tastings are held connected Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Private tastings are disposable upon request. Advanced reservations are required.

Hilton Los Cabos. Photo courtesy of the hotel