When Kendall Jenner released 818 Tequila, social-media caught fire. It seemed to make a bunch of bartenders mad. Then she appeared on Instagram wearing a huipil and the phrase “cultural appropriation” started to get thrown around. But … for years now, Chava has been begging me to wear one of those traditional Mexican garments. So if I had, would I have been appropriating that culture? In this episode of Agave Road Trip, Chava and I talk about celebrity tequila, cultural appropriation, and how fine I would look in a huipil.

This episode of Agave Road Trip is brought to you by Sombra Mezcal and their new reposado expression, Sombra Reposé. Sombra Reposé is a first-of-its-kind reposado made with Sombra's award-winning Joven mezcal, aged in Bordeaux wine barrels. Sourced from the historic and renowned Château Léoville Poyferré, a second growth wine estate in St Julien, France, the barrels are filled with Sombra's Joven mezcal and aged for up to six-months. Enjoy Sombra Reposé by sipping it straight or try it in your favorite cocktails

This episode of Agave Road Trip is also brought to you by Diageo Bar Academy. Do you know the importance of seasonal menus? Why pre-batching summer sippers is the pro-move? Or – and this is my favorite – why frozen cocktails on a stick might be the coolest, most delicious trend yet? Well, I couldn’t tell you answers to any of that stuff. But Katie Renshaw could! Katie’s the 2019 World Class US Bartender of the Year, and she’s serving up summer like never before in a new series of masterclasses on DiageoBarAcademy.com. DiageoBarAcademy.com has gathered the very best serving inspiration from around the globe, with top tips on canning, batching, garnishing, smoking, muddling, shaking, measuring, pouring … all this and so much more! Stay informed, get inspired, and nurture connections to grow your career or your business by joining Diageo Bar Academy.

Agave Road Trip is a podcast that helps gringo bartenders better understand agave, agave spirits, and rural Mexico. It’s hosted by Lou Bank and Chava Periban. 

Episode notes

In case you missed the hullabaloo surrounding Kendall Jenner’s photo for 818 Tequila, here’s the story on People magazine. (I referenced the Buzzfeed story in the episode, but Chava seems kind of angry about Buzzfeed, so … People.) I also mention George Clooney’s work in the Sudan, so here’s that. (And, hey, George! Tell Randi that I hung out with his wife in high school. She’s a sweetheart!) And since we’ve gone this far … here’s the Bing Crosby and Herradura story … a link to our hero David Suro (who probably hates the celebrity tequila thing, so will probably dislike being linked here, so next drink is on us, David) … a link to Gran Dovejo Tequila … a story about The Rock’s tequila (if it were Mankind’s tequila, it would be funnier, especially if it came packaged with a tube sock) … and a link to our philanthropy-tequila friends at El Bandido Yankee Tequila. And while Chava will likely blanch at its inclusion here, in case anyone thinks I’m a conspiracy nut, here’s a story about the Red Cross distributing HIV-infected blood. And for good measure, another story about how the Red Cross had to be investigated by Congress because of their botching of donations made in honor of 9/11.