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San Diego Spirits Festival

2009 June 9
by Eric Hwang

20090701Part of our long San Diego weekend was the first annual San Diego Spirits Festival at the downtown Se Hotel. My good friend, James, made all the arrangements and we attended 2 days of this lively 3-day event.

20090630Friday night featured a lingerie and swimwear fashion show and here were some of the more memorable models and clothing. I think that James and I enjoyed this show more than our wives but they were good sports about it and if nothing else, at least they pretended to enjoy it. As someone who has shot fashion before for agencies and clients, here’s a little advice to anyone, both men and women, who are thinking of a modeling career: No body art. You may like your tat and that tramp stamp may look great on you, but I think, as does most of the fashion industry, that it detracts from the fashions you are wearing.

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20090700Saturday was the Grand Tasting event. Attendance was not large, but that’s probably good considering the small venue around the pool at the Se Hotel. All types of premium spirits and liqueur were represented including, Three Olives, Blue Angel, IS and U4RIK Vodka; Grillos, Tomisario, Muchote, Señor Frogs and Centenario Tequila; and Cruzan Rum. All were pouring rather freely and most had beautiful “booth-babes” helping to promote their product. Here’s where wineries could take note on how to attract the next up and coming generation of future wine drinkers as well as grab the attention of buyers, distributors and media: sex sells. 😉

2009070320090699One find that I’ll be looking for in Seattle is Brew Dog’s Paradox Smokehead imperial stout beer. Matured in used whisky casks, it had a very unique smell of smokey peat and coffee with a body of cocoa, bacon, licorice and a finish of bitter chocolate and espresso.

Another thing that I noticed is the much improved quality of tequila lately. The artisan Muchote Tequila is twice distilled to retain more of the fresh agave taste. They spend their money on the tequila and not on the bottle and sells for only $30/750ml bottle. It’s a premium tequila without the premium price. I was also able to taste the Centenario Reposado Tequila which saved me from having to open my own bottle I received as a gift from a friend. Smooth and flavorful, this is not the tequila I had during my college spring break days. And I won’t be putting this in mixed drinks, because this is a sipping tequila.

Copyright © 2009, Eric Hwang and Bricks of Wine. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Eric Hwang and Bricks of Wine with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

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