Bar Competition

I have been away from my computer for over a week now and it's good to be back. I truly didn't stay away on purpose, it was my technical assistant hubby needing a computer upgrade. Somehow no matter his diligence he cleaned everything a bit to well.

In the mean time I have been gathering information to hopefully have the first full scale bar tending competition in our county of Florida! I have to thank my fellow Speedrail bloggers for their knowledge and patience with my questions. I intend on blogging my first time adventure in the event planning part of this. Sure I can flare tend, but can I plan an event?

This started one evening in March, I was tending a wedding. The usual hotel staff, the best DJ company, the wedding planner, the florist, the cake, and the usual drunken new version of the electric slide. I have worked many weddings in 8 years with this DJ and he finally notices me flaring a bit, out of boredom. He walks up to the bar and says" I didn't know you can flare tend, I've always wanted to host a bar competition." So that is my cue.

So far we have picked a charity. We have a DJ and equipment. The Melbourne Beach Hilton is cooperating with me and loves the idea. My sales manager, GM, and Catering manager are all on board. The catering Manager's husband is one of our Liquor reps and he's game.

I've been trying to create chatter on facebook about this as well. One night I noticed an Orlando based liquor Company was on line and I started another awesome opportunity. I have VoodooTiki Tequila as a sponsor in some way hopefully and within the week I received two full size fabulous bottles of their best tequila to review (more info to bog about).

I worked a shift in our lobby lounge for a sick coworker last week. I fell into a conversation about my endeavor with a gentleman. He was inclined to call his daughter who is the VP of a major liquor distributor for our hotel and she agreed to back us! It's amazing how things have fallen into place.

Now to get all my ducks in a row and collaborate with all these wonderful people who think this is a great thing. I am so thankful to have some tequila to help my nerves a bit as well. Creating recipes and tasting it should do the trick after all of the planning and legwork really starts. Just this morning I had to reschedule my first in stone meeting due to conflicts. More to come!

Voodoo Tiki Anejo Tequila

I was also sent a bottle of Voodoo Tiki Anejo Tequila for review. If you read my review for the Blanco (Platinum Silver) bottle I have gotten over the mind blowing marketing, " Get Friki" and tequila University at

voodootiki.com/

and package that is presented with each bottle and am on to what it's really about, the tequila.

The bottle had all the bells and whistles as the blanco. The wax and tiki head are a tropical blue color. The tequila has a great anejo golden color. I tasted this the same as before, 2 ounces straight in a fluted glass. I could feel some burn with the platinum silver but with this anejo surprisingly no burn. The finish was distinctly pear-honey-like. Delicious agave to barrel ratio. I am usually a silver tequila person. I have met a new friend in this anejo tequila.

I also tried mixing it in the same margarita like recipe, for this drink, I prefer it to the platinum silver.

After a week of tasting these two ultra premium tequilas, the anejo bottle is somehow missing more liquid than the platinum silver. It's a good thing these bottles are works of art themselves, mine will be lacking tequila faster than I thought. As I mentioned with the blanco, this is a great product to have on your back bar, the comments from visitors in my house have already made sales for Voodoo Tiki Tequila.

Voodoo Tiki Platinum Silver Tequila

I was thrilled to receive this bottle of ultra premium blanco tequila. From the first look at

www.VoodooTiki.com


I was amazed by the marketing. They have 100 of the wildest Margarita recipes I've seen. It is a site worth looking at just for the creativity poured into it.

I was expecting this spirit to be to good to be true based on my visit to their site. That being said, I made some judgements before I even tasted. If you need to know anything about my tequila tasting background and what I like, know these names, Partida Blanco and Jose Cuervo reserva de la familia anejo as some of my best rated tequila. Time to taste!

The bottle is hand etched mexican bubble glass with a hand blown glass tiki head inside, wood top cork, hand dipped and sealed with my other favorite, red wax! Again I was scared thinking this is to good to be true. The back of the bottle has a nice description, it's numbered and has a magic word that makes your bottle common, uncommon, rare or a one- of-a-kind collectible. Last time I'm going to mention the detailed marketing has really swayed me.

I grabbed my pencil and notebook and bellied up to my bar with a fluted glass with 2 ounces of Voodoo tiki Blanco "neat". I found a smooth almost buttery feel on my tounge. I could taste charred oak and I could taste pear on my breath at the finish. I almost want to say there was no tequila burn, but there was a burn with first my "neat" taste.

Next I chilled it and tried again. No burn, nice barrel flavor, and again pear or maybe something more citrus like, Carambola(?) on the end. Its time to get creative and play with limes and poms. Of everything I have done with this tequila this is my favorite way.

1 bar spoon honey
2 oz. fresh lime juice
2 oz Voodoo Tiki Blanco

Add all to ice, shake, and slip into a nice salt rimmed glass, splash of Pom juice.

No triple sec, just one of the best tequilas, a few friendly juices, salt and honey. My favorite so far.

The marketing is backing up a qualified product and I hope you will all try this tequila. It is a new favorite and the bottle is quite a conversation piece for your back bar.