Let’s talk tequila! Or, more precisely, let’s talk about a certain tequila book. But rather than jumping right in, I’ll begin with some backstory on the project.
Longtime Cocktail Wonk readers may have noticed that my posting frequency here has slowed a bit recently as Mrs. Wonk and I work hard to expand the Wonk brand into new areas.
You may have heard about my Rum Wonk Substack, where I now share my deep dives into rum topics. Subscriptions are free, but you can opt for a paid subscription to help support my independent research and writing in the rum space. (Never fear, you’ll still find my musing on cocktails and other topics here on CocktailWonk.com)
The other Wonk brand expansion is Wonk Press, which occupies much of my behind-the-scenes time. Last year (2023), Team Wonk Press published Polynesiacs — Tiki at Home by Tiki Tom-Tom. Tom’s gorgeous photographs and writing take readers deep inside 75 incredibly beautiful Tiki bars. The response has been overwhelming, and Mrs. Wonk and I couldn’t be happier to have partnered with Tom to create a book without compromises.
With the success of the first three Wonk Press books, we’ve had quite a few people approach us with great ideas for books of their own. This leads us to the primary focus of this post.
Turning to Tequila
If you’ve been paying attention to tequila for more than a few years, you’ve almost certainly heard of Tomas, who passed in 2021. His obituary in the New York Times summed up his influence on the tequila world:
Tomas Estes, who gave up a career teaching high school English to open Mexican bars and restaurants across Europe, in the process helping to transform the image of tequila from frat-house rotgut to a fine spirit that could sit on a shelf alongside cognac and single malt whisky, died on April 25 at his home in Ashland, Ore.…
Starting with his first restaurant, Café Pacifico, which he opened in Amsterdam as an expatriate there in 1976, Mr. Estes brought Mexican cuisine and culture to a continent that was still only vaguely aware of Latin American fare…. Café Pacifico was an overnight success and became a regular haunt for American celebrities passing through Amsterdam — Mr. Estes liked to tell about the time Debbie Harry, lead singer of the band Blondie, waited at the bar for two hours to get a table….
“Way before tequila was popular outside Mexico, he was in Europe tirelessly spreading the gospel of tequila to anyone who would listen,” said Carlos Camarena, a third-generation tequila distiller and a close friend.
In 2003 the National Chamber of the Tequila Industry, a branch of the Mexican government known by its Spanish initials C.N.I.T., appointed Mr. Estes the official tequila ambassador for the European Union.
Five years later, he and Mr. Camarena joined forces to create their own brand, Tequila Ocho — and, once again, Mr. Estes helped shape the way people think about tequila.
The Tequila Ambassador V.O.
Prior to his passing, Tomas was working on a book with Phil Bayly, Mitch Wilson, and Jesse Estes. Phil is a photographer and Tomas’ longtime friend since opening the first Café Pacifico in 1976. His photographs spanning six decades beautifully illustrate Tomas’ passionate and deeply personal words. Mitch Wilson, the Global Brand Ambassador for Black Tot Rum, was at the helm of pulling all of Tomas’ words and interviews with others into a cohesive narrative, showing both Tomas’ passion and how beloved he was. Tomas’ son Jesse Estes, global brand ambassador for Tequila Ocho, contributed his stories, photographs, and insights to create a book that truly honors his father’s legacy. From start to finish, it was a five-year effort for Team Tomas. The result is The Tequila Ambassador V.O.
Naturally, when Team Tomas approached us about potentially publishing the book, Mrs. Wonk and I could barely believe such an opportunity had come our way. Starting in late 2022, Carrie and Team Tomas began the slow, painstaking work of assembling and fine-tuning the book. It was a huge sigh of relief when Mrs. Wonk submitted the final PDF file to the printer 18 months later, in the final days of 2023. As a team passionate enough to create an 850-page rum book, we were honored to help bring Tomas’ unique and deeply felt perspective to the printed page without compromise and as he intended.
Note: Tomas previously wrote a book in 2012 called The Tequila Ambassador — no “V.O.” in the title. Other than the author and title, the two books are very different. The new book is over twice the size, has far more photographs, is more up-to-date, and has a very different look and feel than the 2012 book.
Since cocktails are inextricably part of tequila’s story, the Tequila Ambassador V.O. naturally has cocktail recipes—and more than just a handful of the classics. Tomas’ friends and admirers turned out in full force, sharing 50 modern recipes in the book’s Cocktail Compendium section. Some of the well-known recipe contributors include Lauren Mote, Ivy Mix, Dale DeGroff, Philip Duff, Lynnette Marrero, Eric Lorincz, Claire Warner, Joaquin Simo, Dick Bradsell, Gaz Regan, Salvatore Calabrese, and many more.
I haven’t yet tried every recipe, but Elayne Duff’s Bienvenidos has stricken a chord here at Casa Cocktail Wonk.
Bienvenidos Cocktail
- 2 oz Tequila Ocho Reposado
- 0.5 oz Giffard Banane du Brésil
- 0.5 oz Punt e Mes vermouth
- 0.5 oz Campari
- 0.25 oz Vago Elote Mezcal
Glass: Rocks glass with large cube ice
Garnish: Grapefruit twist
Method: Add all ingredients to glass over large cube ice. Stir until chilled.
Wonk Press Books
To briefly recap, Wonk Press now has four books in its portfolio and more headed to the printer shortly! Our current titles are:
