By Rebecca Harris
Southtrade and Patrón tequila last week held an exclusive masterclass for some of Sydney’s top bartenders at The Loft bar in Sydney.
Patron global brand manager, Chris Spake, was on hand to give the industry a detailed and informative presentation of this often misunderstood spirit.
“There are people out there who say ‘Oh, I don’t drink tequila’, but then they try silver Patrón, and they like it. And these are people who said they would never drink tequila,” he said.
One of the only tequilas with 100 per cent agave, Patrón markets itself as a high-end spirit – one to be savoured rather than slammed down along with a slice of lemon and a sprinkling of salt.
Director of Southtrade, Tony Stubley, said that he was “overwhelmed with the turnout from bartenders all over Sydney and with the professionalism with which Chris Spake presented the history and production of Patrón. I am thrilled it was such a success.”
Margaritas and Bloody Marias were served at the event at which bartenders tasted Patrón Silver, Reposado and Anejo, with a lucky few sampling the elite Gran Patrón Burdeos — a tequila aged in French and American oak and in barrels sourced from Chateau Margaux.
Spake said masterclasses are a great opportunity for bartenders to learn more about the versatility and uses of tequila, particularly in cocktails. He said that rather than mask the taste, tequila should be allowed to stand up on its own. “One of our aims is to have the taste of Patrón tequila lingering in our mouths”, he said.
Southtrade acquired the Australian distribution rights to Patrón last month.