Episode Transcript
[00:00:01] Speaker A: Hey, man, I am so fired up that we finally got this put together and so glad to have you here today. Oscar. How you doing my friend?
[00:00:07] Speaker B: I say just trying to make some tequilas for the people because at the end of the day we are producing maybe too much just to drink for myself so we can share, right?
[00:00:18] Speaker A: Yes, I do know you have a lot of tequila.
[00:00:21] Speaker B: Thanks to God and thanks to the people.
[00:00:23] Speaker A: So do me a favor, tell everybody who you are and what you do.
[00:00:29] Speaker B: Okay, well, for the people who don't know me, my name is Oscar Vazquez. My full name is Oscar Oswaldo Vasquez Camarena. So right now I am living here in Arandas, Jalisco and my job, my skills, my way to put a little bit food on my table is making tequila. So for some brands I am a master distiller. For another ones I am advisor consultant. So right now, thanks to God and the new opportunities, I am in middle of different brands, right? Helping, supporting, producing. So my, at the end of the day my, my job, it's in a different labels, you know what I mean? I am just a jump in between different distilleries, between different norms, between different brands. At the end of the day, just helping. Okay, so I am a chemist. I am studying chemistry in the university. My first job almost 15 years ago was in charge about the lab, the laboratory in a very, very good, respected distillery. I finished my job in that distillery two years ago. Yeah, like two years ago. And trying to. Trying to make something different. The new opportunities start to come in with me to give my support as an advisor, consultant, master distiller. So different, different things, right? The people who know me, I am very simple man, just trying to, to keep going in this life.
[00:02:10] Speaker A: Well, I'll also add to that one of the nicest people and the most genuine people that I have met in Rhondas and visiting is you, my friend. So you have to put that on your resume as well. You are a great guy.
[00:02:24] Speaker B: Thanks so much.
[00:02:25] Speaker A: And a very humble guy.
[00:02:28] Speaker B: Well, let me, let me tell you this very quickly. I feel so humble and no, I feel so blessed. Sorry, my English sometimes is not, not working so much. I feel so, so blessed because I have the opportunity to support my family making something very, very. Something that has a lot of passion, at least for me, right? Which is a tequila production, again in different stage, in different labels. But at the end of the day, the tequila production is something that when you have the opportunity and came to Mexico or came to the distilleries, more specifically, and you can realize about the people, the passion, how many hours we are spending just in order to produce one bottle of tequila. Then you realize a little bit that at the end of the day, there is a lot of work, there is a lot of people behind, there is a lot of hands. And I feel so blessed because I have the greatest opportunity that the people know a little bit my face. Right. Maybe in some scenario I am the person responsible. Well, I am the person in charge for the tequila. Maybe has a good flavor or bad flavor or something like that. At the end of the day, there is a lot of factors, you know what I mean? Right. I am so blessed because I have that opportunity in order to show a little bit, to share and to show a little bit the things that we are doing every single day here in Jalisco, here in Mexico, and that right now it's in all around the world, right? This is just water.
[00:04:03] Speaker A: We are blessed and we are blessed and honored to have you here. And I'm really excited about this series that we're going to set up where we talk about what a master distiller does. And you'll get the opportunity to explain how, how you make different profiles for different brands and really explain the process to people. And I think there's a lot of people that want to get more knowledge and education on how their tequila is made and why tequilas can taste different.
[00:04:30] Speaker B: So.
[00:04:31] Speaker A: And I look forward to doing that with you and having that come up. So if you could, why don't you explain some of the brands that you currently work with and maybe highlight this brand right here where you're the new master distiller.
[00:04:44] Speaker B: Yeah. Yes. These people give me the opportunity and I am trying to be at the that with that commitment. Well, talking about what is a master distiller in my own opinion, right. This is my personal. So everything, all. All the things that I am talking with you, Brad, and with all the people that is watching this video at the end of the day is just my opinion. Okay, maybe I am wrong, maybe not is depending what we are looking for. Because at the end of the day, at least for me, the word master, it's a very, very big word. You know what I mean? Because a master is somebody who manage everything. And trust me, I am not managing everything.
Maybe in someday, with enough time or more years, I can pretend myself that I am a master. Anyway, right now I am just person who has passion for the tequila production and trying to support my family easily. Talking about the tequila, talking about the productions in some Point. Let me tell you this. According by the Mexican law, to produce tequila, right now, there is, if I can remember, 80 different noms, so different distilleries that we can produce tequila. And if I can remember, right now there is 3,000 brands of tequila in the market. So at the end of the day, how is the difference that we can produce different tequilas? When you are following a recipe to produce tequila, that recipe says that you need lu. Agave some way to cook, some way to extract the juices. Fermentation and distillation. That's the recipe, right?
If you are following that recipe here in the distilleries, at the end of the day, trust me, you are producing tequila.
The funny part about this is that almost anybody is talking about how the agave, for example, is playing a little bit with the different flavors.
Sorry for that. It's my. My orders are.
So, for example, when we are harvesting the agave, right? So when you are here, Brad, you can remember that in everage, we are cutting some part of the agave, right? We are trying to collect as much as possible the pina and some part of the penka, okay? If you can realize there is a measure that we are cutting that leaf, right? A little bit more, a little bit less. So since the agave, we can imagine what kind of flavors we can produce at the end of the day. For example, agave with more punka, with a little bit more long leaves can give you more herbal flavors, like green, like some things, but also can give you a little bit more bitter notes, right? If you are using, for example, most the center, most more, more the. The. The pina by itself, you can get at the end of the day, maybe more sweet flavors, maybe more fruity flavors, but less complexity. So I am not pretending to be a different. But when you start to. When you are starting to understand that every process, every step at the end of the day, for so small that leeks looks like at the end of the day has a big difference, right? The way that you are cooking the agave anyway, if you are using an oven or an autoclave or another way of the fermentation, the distillation, what kind of yeast you are using. If you are using, for example, a wild yeast or drum yeast or champagne yeast, or a lot of. A lot of. A lot of things that we can play.
In my personal opinion, for example, we are producing tequila in the fermentation process, for me is the most important part. Everything is important, okay? But for me, the fermentation process is one of the Most important, because in the fermentation process, we see, since the point of view of the chemistry, we are turning or we are changing the sugars into alcohol, right? But again, when we are producing tequila, we are not producing just one alcohol. For example, in the fermentation, in a normal fermentation, we are producing between 15 to 16, 17 different kind of alcohols, right?
That at the end of the day we know as superior alcohols, aldehydes, esters. So a lot of chemical compounds that in some point is very funny when you understand everything and most when you are making the distillation, right? Because again, when you are distilling, when you are making some distillation, if you are using stainless steel or if you are using copper or you are using an A column. So maybe I'm up top, maybe I am not telling anything at the end of the day. But trust me, in some point, let me tell you this. When you are reaching or when you are getting closer a little bit more in the tequila production, for example, you realize that every single time you, you understand more, but you know less about the, the everything, it's a little bit clear. Or I am just giving you different words.
[00:10:23] Speaker A: That's very good. That's very good. Tell us a little bit about the brands that you're currently working with. Who are the brands that you're currently. That you can talk about that you're currently working with to make their tequila?
[00:10:33] Speaker B: Yeah, well, something that I am exploring right now in order to give different. Different options, right? Because at the end of the day, again, it's just different options then or later we can discuss if it is good or bad. In this point, it's just different. Right. Right now, for example, the tequilas that I am supporting with my face or with my signature is Tequila en el Alma, Mosto, Tierra de Ensueno, Corrido, and a new one that is almost into the market, I hope right now for maybe, which is Manuscrito. So every single one of these different brands is produced in different noms, right? For example, Tequila Alma. We are working with Tequila Alma in the Nome 1639, which is a Grupo Pena Blanca de Los Altos. Grupo Pena Blanca de los Altos is a really, really new distillery that we are using, for example, in the general brick ovens, roller mills and stainless steel and copper for the distillation. Right. For example, Tequila and La Alma was my first official brand. When I start to looking for this kind of opportunities and then more brands like for example, Tierra de Ensueno Maybe it's a little bit more familiar. Tierra Denzo, produced in nom 1590, which is Hacienda Lolvido, Brick ovens, roller mills, open fermentations, and copper. Copper distillation. In Nom 1590, also, I am working with Tequila Mosto. It's a really new brand also that is just right now in the United States in the market. And we are looking for make a little bit more bigger in the nome 1643, which is distilleria Savino. Again, another very, very new distillery. Right now that distillery is a little bit more familiar because in the distillery we are producing Zumbador and Lopez. Well, that brands are the first brand of the distillery. And in that distillery, I am making Manuscript Tequila. Manuscript again, a new tequila brand that we are trying to put into the market. And in the Nome 1412, if I am wrong with the noms, sorry, in the Nome 1412, tequila corrido, by the way, gave me the opportunity to be the neomaster distiller, right? Tequila Corrido, for example, is one brand that has more years into the market, has a little bit more reputation, more experience into the market. Right now, Tequila Corrido is producing in Arandas, in the Stiladora de los Altos, which is familiar for Hacienda Vieja, the name. And yes, they give me the opportunity to be his master distiller for this new brand. What's the way that we are producing different brands in different norms?
I am very open with the people, so I invite to all the people every single time that you want to come to Mexico to come with me, 1, 2, 3, 4 days, in order to be present and in order to try to understand a little bit how different it could be the tequila. When you are producing tequilas for different brands, right? Not just talking about different distilleries, right? Because in some point, when you start to understand a little bit that again, you can realize that the water is very different, the cheese is very different, the equipment. So at the end of the day, I am trying to. Right now, let me tell you this.
Since since the people think that I have a good ideas in order to the tequila production flavors and aromas on all these things, I am very open to listen the ideas, right? Okay. I am a producer, I am a tequila maker. So talk to me and give me your opinion. In order to. In your opinion, what is the flavor, what is the aroma, what is the body that the tequila looks like or has to get, right? And then with my small expertise in the Tequila production. I can realize that, for example, we can making more cuts in heads or more yeast or more agave or less water or something. We can get closer a little bit to that specific flavors, right? Because at the end of the day, every single palette is very, very different.
At the end of the day, at least for me, there is not bad tequila. Right. It's just different consumers at different labels, right. Levels like that. For example, right now, the people is really, really focused in tequila with high quality in a different range of money. They're different prices. But even the low tequila cost, it doesn't mean that they have a poor quality or lower quality, right. At the end of the day, you are just looking for a different things. And it's fair at the end of the day. So that's in my opinion, that's mostly my skills, my job, my understanding about the tequila. At the end of the day, I can get an idea in order to the tequila that you have in your mind, try to convert in something possible into the reality, into the. Into the real. Right, I understand that, that part.
[00:16:05] Speaker A: Yes, yes. And I have had several of the tequilas that you make, and I've visited several of the distilleries that you have worked out of. And I. I can tell you that I. I've never had a tequila that I know you've got your hands on that I haven't found absolutely amazing.
So I'm really looking forward to this series where we can talk about how you created a certain flavor inside of a certain tequila, because I'm going to make sure I have all of them. And when we do each series, we're going to talk about how did you get so much cinnamon in ensued? Because that's always blows me away how much cinnamon flavor there is in that one. And the first one that you mentioned, I never pronounce it right. But it's the first Tequila that you made at 16:39.
[00:16:49] Speaker B: Yep.
[00:16:50] Speaker A: It has a beautiful bottle, this one.
Yes, it's a beautiful bottle. And I actually got the opportunity to taste that when we visited 1639 the day before we met with you at 1412.
And that tequila was out of the tequilas we were tasting there. It was one of my favorite ones. And I had no idea that you were the master distiller of that until much later. And we did get to tour that distillery. And they had just received these new pine fermentation tanks they had filled up with water that were leaking everywhere as it was getting the wood, you know, prepared. And so I'm so Excited about the information that you're going to be able to teach everybody. And I know it's going to take time before we get these all put together all the time, but I think it's really exciting that you're willing to do this. And plus we're going to shoot one live when I'm in around this with you next time.
[00:17:41] Speaker B: Okay.
[00:17:41] Speaker A: Yeah, maybe at Jaime's.
[00:17:44] Speaker B: Yeah, Jaime's or a lot of places this time.
[00:17:47] Speaker A: Maybe I'll remember eating dinner there.
[00:17:48] Speaker B: Yes. Or, or you know, here in Arandos we have a lot of taco places. Well, talking a little bit about the. The tequilas, the. The brands that is giving me the opportunity to be his master distiller. Yeah. For example Enel Alma. Right. So with this, let me tell you this. With all my brands I am the. I am in charge about the quality, about the flavor, about the aromas of the tequilas. Not the final prices, not the bottles, not the labels. So at the end of the day this industry is so big and. And I am just focusing my. In my thing. Right. For example, with this tequila we run into the market because this was the first official brand that we are starting sport from that distillery because it's a new. Right. Let me tell you this. I like to. For me it's more. It's a good challenge when we are working in a new tequila brand because at the end of the day we are looking for the flavor and the aromas and the complexity like the tequila should have. You know what I mean? At the end of the day it's a very, very complicated try to found the perfect balance between everything. Again, it's just a different options. Right. With the La Alma, for example this tequila is using deep well water open fermentation 100% with wild yeast. Right. And it's just my opinion something. Something that at the end of the day I am very happy to drink it here or even with my wife and just to. To enjoy it. Right. So first brand 1673. You can see 1620, 1639. So with this tequila the owner, she gave me the opportunity to okay, just explore the tequilas that you are trying to. To. To drink. Right. 4% alcohol by volume and co Tequila. I just my ideas, my opinions about. About looking for some very specific food flavors.
We are removing the Cobollo. Did you remember when I explained you about the Cobollo can give you a little bit some bitter notes. So we are removing everything in that another one Tierra de Ensueno. Right. So for example, with Tierra De we are exploring different ABBs. For example, this is in 42% alcohol by volume, right? And the most interesting thing about this brand is, is that we are sending the tequila for some days into the barrel in order to get different flavors, right? It's even. It's still a tequila blanco, but getting just a pinch of the barrels. The flavor of the barrels, right? According by the Mexican law, to be a reposado needs to live into the bottles, minimum two months. So with this tequila, with this brand is just a couple of days when we. Eight days. So let me tell you this. When we are producing that brand, we are collecting very, very almost a day at different samples in order to try to realize when the tequila is ready to go, right?
Most of, for example, this one, this gnome, is the 1580 also same distillery like Tierra de Ensueno. With this tequila, for example, this reposado, we are not sending anything to the barrels for the blanco. We are changing very, very different the yeast and the fermentation way in order to maybe in some point, it's not fair for the people or for the consumers, just produce one tequila and put the same liquid in two different bottles, right? And again, you can realize you can taste Mosland, you can taste Tierra de Ensueno. And it's completely different because we are producing different tequilas. And at the end of the day, manuscrito, I don't have the bottle, but this is something that we are looking for. And just at the end corridor, Tequila corrido. So to be very honest, yes, this one, this is a challenge for me because Tequila Corrido right now has his own market. You know what I mean? Tequila corrido right now has his own personal flavor. And the, the main idea, my main idea is not to change the flavor is not to change it. Just get a different tequila. Okay, Maybe the tequila corridor that you have right now in the, in your, in your bottle, it's enough good to. To drink. And for you, it's a, it's a good tequila. My idea is to keep going in that same way, right? Trying to preserve as much as possible the flavors, the particular flavors of the tequila corrido, but also giving to you a little bit my own personal ideas in order to, to produce, right? For example, Tequila produdo. Tequila corrido was produced for the master and Amaria Romero, which is a very, very good, respected woman here in the industry. So my idea is not to say that that tequila is bad or something like that. No. At the end of the day, Maria Romero has his own way to produce tequilas, which I, which I respect too much because regarding about your, your original question, it's the way that we are trying to show or trying to share with the people. Different expressions, different tequilas, flavors, different, different something, right.
So in my opinion, I like a lot to work with a new brands because the new one has all the potential to be in something really, really interesting or not. Right. The people don't like it and you are making anything at the end of the day. And with another brands like Tequila Corrido, which is more running to the market with his own flavor, at least for me it's a little bit more challenge because again, we need to, we need to try to preserve the DNA of the tequila and just getting different ideas in order to, to get same quality in a different, in a different profile or something like that. Are you understand?
[00:24:18] Speaker A: Yes. So you want to keep the same DNA, the same flavor of corrido, but create a lot of consistency throughout batches. So people have that same flavor profile that they're used to, but then maybe put your touches on it to enrich it just a little bit.
[00:24:36] Speaker B: Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. So for example, for tequila corrido we are exploring, well since several years ago, they are for the reposados and for the nejos, for example, they are playing a lot with different battles, right?
Very unique casks, very unique barrels. They first produce the tequila and send to the American knob, for example, and then they finish into the French oak or something like that, which is very, very interesting, at least for me, because my expertise or my abilities is just to produce the kilo blanco. To be honest, I am trying to found a good way to make a good blends with the reposados and with the nucos.
So with Tequila Corrido, yes, I think that the, the biggest challenge is the consistency between the, the lot, the whole productions. But at the end of the day there is no doubt that you are drinking, for example, Tequila Corrido DNA, right? And just with a, a fresh face.
With my personal, my personal skills, for example, too many people say that all the tequilas that I am working and I am helping to produce, maybe my particular taste is some citrus, right? Maybe it's because there's some way that I like to, to make the distillations in a different labels in a different categories. But at the end of the day, maybe is that my, my point, right? The citrus in, in the tequilas, which is good or which is bad? I don't know. Because for example, if you can realize different master distillers at the end of the day has his own particular flavor. Maybe my particular flavor is citrus. Right.
[00:26:28] Speaker A: Well, I can't wait to do more of this series and learn what your fingerprint of tequila is. So when we pick it up, we can go, wait, that's Oscar Vaskin.
[00:26:36] Speaker B: Yeah, my fingerprint.
[00:26:38] Speaker A: And I think the next video we should do. Let's talk about your favorite part. Let's talk about fermentation. And in the next video, you can explain all of the different ways.
Tank temperature, thyme, yeast, all of those things that make up fermentation. And we do just a whole fermentation series. That'll be the next one coming out. I can't wait to do that. And Oscar, I want to say thank you to you because I know that you're one of the busiest guys in all of tequila. And to be able to schedule some time for me at the end of the day really makes me really happy and glad to call you a friend. And I can't wait to do more of these. So thank you very much.
[00:27:19] Speaker B: No, thank you for the opportunity to show my ideas and my personal opinion. Again, I am a very, very honest person. And you know me and the people know me. I am very open also to listen. To listen the consumers, to listen the market, the people. Because at the end of the day, again, we are producing tequila for the market, not. Not just for me. Right. So, yes, I am completely agree with you. Talking about, trust me, just to talk about the hydrolysis or just to talk about the, the, the fermentation. We spend six hours minimum. So I am very open, Brad, with you, with you, with your, with your viewers, with your audience, with your people. It's going to be very funny or very interesting experiment if you start to make some question that you have and in some point I try to answer. Right. So I, I do believe that this.
[00:28:13] Speaker A: Yep, I'll have some good ones.
[00:28:14] Speaker B: Very interesting. To open the, the videos and open the, the. The microphone for all the people. And let me. What are you thinking? You have some ideas, some questions. Maybe you'll listen someday that something is good, bad medium. Just to, to put final point in that. Just give me the opportunity to change a little bit your idea about good tequilas and bad tequilas, Right? Because again, that is not bad. Maybe it's something that is not for you, but it's not bad right now.
[00:28:49] Speaker A: That's so true. That's so true. And this is going to be so fun. What do you, what are you drinking over There. Don't. Don't tell me you're just drinking water right now.
[00:28:56] Speaker B: Well, right now, let me. Let me share something with you. Let me share a little bit of an alma.
[00:29:02] Speaker A: No, I don't have a.
I'm working off the. The corrido blanco.
[00:29:08] Speaker B: Okay, Cheers. And thanks so much for.
[00:29:11] Speaker A: For.
[00:29:11] Speaker B: Let me chila this with two or three tequilas. My English is almost perfect. Trust me. And your Spanish is so much better. So at the end of the day, the key is my.
[00:29:21] Speaker A: Yeah, I know. My Spanish gets really good. My Spanish gets. Is.
[00:29:24] Speaker B: Is muy bueno with tequila. The tequila has the ability to keep the. The tequila has his own language, right?
[00:29:34] Speaker A: That is so true.
[00:29:35] Speaker B: So talking about first, my first production of tequila corrido. It was done. It was produced. So I am waiting or we hope that you. That we can release my. My first batch, my first lot now in May. I'm gonna let you know the number just to get a comparison. And please be very honest. Right? It's just good. It's my fault. It's his bad. Is my fault. Again, it's just my. My own idea.
[00:30:06] Speaker A: You know me.
[00:30:07] Speaker B: Exactly.
[00:30:08] Speaker A: You know me. I'll be very honest with you. I'll tell you what I like and what I don't.
[00:30:12] Speaker B: Please.
[00:30:13] Speaker A: All right. So you go. Go hang out with that family tonight. Thanks for doing this with me. And cheers. We will get one set up soon.
[00:30:21] Speaker B: Can't wait to see you here, amigo. Right now I am starting to. I can't wait to be there to travel to United States. I am going to be in different events. I let you know.
[00:30:31] Speaker A: Perfect. My friend.
