It's good to be back!! These past few days is one hell roller coaster ride, but I'm enjoying every minute and second of it, last week I went to a another country not just for leisure but to compete for a global competition, (Yes!! It's a Global Competition under Jose Cuervo). This is the first time that Jose Cuervo put up a Global Competition, the event is entitled Dons of tequila. Yes I know you know it but the one you knew is just a national competition and that national competition is just the continuation of global competition, and the person who won for a national competition will represent their own country. We are 17 countries to compete for the title of Dons of Tequila, the countries are, Argentina, Cyprus, Chile, Japan , Korea, New Zealand, Puerto Rico, Colombia, Greece, Italy, France, Germany, Peru, UAE, Brazil, Philippines, and Switzerland. We have 3 challenges to accomplish, Market Challenge, Aroma challange and Speed and Taste Challenge, every challenges we so also have some seminar and we also got the chance to see the agave fields, plant our own agave, and also to look at the distillery (La Rojeña), and go also got the chance to meet and greet the true Dons and Doñas of Jose Cuervo. The fisrt time saw each other we are all kinda shy to talk to each other, me personally I'm having a hard time at first to talk to them, but I try to look at them they seem so easy to talk and easily to have bond with them.
DAY 01:
First Day in Mexico (Guadalajara, Mexico)
In our first day in Mexico, we stayed in Quinta Real, oh god the ambiance of the hotel is the bomb!! They arrange a acquaintance party for all the participants with the judges, jose cuervo ambassador and with the distributor and many more. After the aquaintance party the Philippines team wants to eat authentic mexican food so we try to eat again outside the hotel they saw a nearby mexican restaurant. We try it, it is good but it never fulfill the authentic mexican food.
DAY 02:
We had our breakfast before heading to Jose Cuervo Express, this is actually a train going to tequila, and owned by Jose Cuervo. After a train ride we are going to transfer in Patio Mexicano to have a Lunch and also to do the First Challenge (Market Challenge) and hosted by our Jose Curevo Ambassador.
From L to R : Sir Jim, Angelica and Sir Lucio
From LtoR : Anderson from Colombia, Thiago for Brazil, Laura from UAE, Edwin from Chile, Angelica from Philippines
While traveling in the train they also fix the sequence of us 17 contenders, After 2 hours in the train we are now in Jalisco town of tequila, and headed in Patio Mexicano to have our lunch and the first challenge.
The line-up of the 17 contenders
If I could just bring home that big box
After a long day challenge we headed to our second hotel which is Hotel Solar de las Animas which is also owned by Jose Cuervo, just to change clothes and to relax a little bit and go to tequila food pairing at Hotel Terraza and hosted by Juan Pablo.
The host for tonight Juan Pablo
DAY 03
We have to wake up early to go in the agave fields, also to have a distillery tour and a also to do the second and third challenge, and lastly the announcement of the top 5.
But before going to the agave fields we need to ride a horse just to get in the agave fields, after almost a 30 minutes ride we are now in the agave fields, I got scared while going to the agave fields, because I almost got tripped over.
The Agave Fields
5 year old Blue Agave
The Blue Agave can be harvest once it is 8 years old, the other signs that the agave is already matured once you see a red color on the lower part of the agave.
I'm sorry if I forgot his name, but one thing that I remember he is a Phd on agave.
He is the 10th generation Jimadors who's working for Jose Cuervo. He is Also one of the Dons, he make sure that every agave is in good condition, and he also teach us on how plant an baby agave, how to harvest the matured agave , the one his holding is called Coa that is an equipment used when harvesting the agave.
We also experience to taste the raw agave, it taste nothing but the texture is like turnips, In the philippines turnips is called "Singkamas". After tasting the Agave to also got the chance to plant our own agave.
Planting an agave is easy when it is one, but when you are going to plant one hectar that would be tough. After planting we ride again the horse to have brunch, and go to the hotel to change our shoes and go directly in La Rojeña (the oldest distillery).
Once the agave is harvested it will be transferred in La Rojeña to process the distillation of agave, first they cut the agave into half and place it in the oven.
After how many hours of cooking and cooling, the cooked agave will transferred in grinding and juicer.
grinder and juicer
After the grinder and juice is done the agave fiber and the extract will be separated, the agave fiber will be place in a big truck, they have plenty of option to do for the agave fiber, the first one is making a agave paper, or mini wallets, and now they now 75% on processing to make an energy out of it. For the extract it will go directly in the copper tank, for filtration.
After the filtration it will be ready for bottling (for blanco), but for añejo or extra añejo (aged tequila), it will be transffered in oak barrels.
They are very particular (temperature, oak barrel, etc) on storaging an añejo tequila. After the tour we had a chance to meet the True Dons inside the La Rojeña, Doña Arcelli, and Don Francisco and we got a chance to taste Jose Cuervo 250 years, that is one of the most expensive tequila, it's $300 per shot.
After a little remarks with Doña Aracelli, the 17 finalist had a chance to write our name and country in the oak barrel, that means alot to us why, we are the 1st one to do that under Dons of Tequila.
After writing down our names, we headed to our next challenge which is the aroma challenge, this challenge is difficult, because I was thingking of a fresh herb and spices, oh well. After the second challenge we had a 30 minute rest to prepare for the final challenge which is the speed and taste challenge at the skyy bar.
One of my favorite challenges, the speed and taste, well because I can really showcase to them how do I really work on a bar. I'm just bringing out the craziness inside me while working. hehehe After all the 17 bartenders perform, we wait for the announcement of top 5. The top 5 are Japan, Korea, UAE, Germany, Cyprus. The pressure is on for them while the 10 of us has a free time in the grand finale!! woop woop!!
Hacienda de Cuervo
This is the old house of Cuervo and they renovate it and make it an event place.
Top 5 finalist LtoR Japan, Germany, Korea, UAE, and Cyprus
After they perform we have a dinner and after the dinner they will annouce the 1st Don of Tequila. Well while waiting for that we have some pictures and had some tequila shots!! woop woop.
And by the way I'm going to add some OOTD on that event, it's a dinner party so I just wore a simple and yet kinda daring black dress and a red vest to contrast the full black dress and some accesories, I didn't wear any necklace cause a wore a tassel earing (it is kinda long) I don't want to over accessorize. 
Moving along, I don't have a proper picture with my OOTD cause I'm to shy to let the other people to take a picture for me. Anyways after a long wait they announce the winners, for the 3rd place is LAURA DUCA from UAE, 2nd place is SUNG MIN PARK form KOREA, and the winner is KOJI ESASHI from JAPAN.
Don Koji Esashi with the Dons and Doña
After the announcement of winners it is our last day to see each other so we had a party, and after party (pool party)!!
Dons of Tequila event organizers, hosts, 17 contenders (Jose Cuervo Family)
After party fever, the last party for now and hopefully next time we could have a reunion. hahaha.
Being part of this competition is tough, but you're going to enjoy every bits and part of it. Even if I didn't won doesn't mean my journey will stop there, this is only the beginning of my journey. Salud!!
-g-
