The genesis of this issue, Land of Agave, traces to my first encounter with bartender Jay Khan four years ago. I was charmed by several of his
cocktails and mesmerized by his encyclopedic knowledge of what goes into them. Already an ardent student of agave spirits, Jay had started
making annual pilgrimages to Mexico.
As our friendship deepened, he one day popped what now seems an inevitable question: would TK like to come with him to Tequila?
Director of Photography David Hartung and I immediately agreed.
Soon finding ourselves outfitted in sombreros and surrounded by coawielding jimadores, we absorbed facts about piñas, tahonas, fructans,
column stills, diffusers, and spontaneous fermentation. There are parts of the world you never expect to see, but once you arrive, you know they will leave their marks for a lifetime. Our tequila odyssey was that type of journey, and we hope our enthusiasm for the place and its storied spirit will prove infectious.
