Maestro Dobel Tequila Launches Humito, The First Smoked Silver Tequila, In New York City
Maestro Dobel Tequila has launched a one-of-kind liquor, aptly titled "Humito," the Spanish word for "little smoke." Held at New York City's daring Mexican restaurant The Black Ant, founder Juan Domingo Beckmann, along with fashion hat designer Nick Fouquet, hosted the private launch party where this rare, smoked silver tequila was introduced to the world for the very first time. Paired with innovative, though intimidating, dishe,s this libation also intensified the signature cocktails of known mixologist Gustavo Ortega-Oyarzun.
Cocktails served included the guava smolder, which incorporated a guava purée, ginger liqueur, and lemon juice with Humito, garnished with black ant salt; the smokey Negroni, a bold, citrusy mix of Humito, americano, vermouth, and pamplemousee (grapefruit); and the Humito neat, simply Humito with a slice of grapefruit and black ant salt.
Chef Mario Hernandez offered a selection of modern Mexican food, which highlighted both his heritage and knowledge of traditional Mexican cuisine. Dishes on the five-course tasting menu had ingredients that, while more common in Mexico, may have had diners a bit worried. An example? Grasshoppers.
That said, chef Hernandez impressed diners with his fare. The meal began with tostadas con aguacate, which was a chia tostada with burnt avocado; next came the ceviche de cobia, a citrus marinated fish with burnt pineapple, peppers, and black ant salt; then the sopes be longaniza, a Spanish-style sausage with a Humito and meco salsa; lastly, the main was the tostasa de pato, a chipotle-braised duck with cotija cheese and salsa verde. For dessert? A decadent grasshopper chocolate tart. Don't knock it until you try it.
When asked what inspired founder, Juan Domingo Beckmann to create a smoked tequila and what makes this particular launch so special to him and his brand, he explains that, "There's nothing better than the original and knowing where something came from, and this rediscovery sparks new innovation." Humito is essentially "a tribute to the old masters of tequila" in Juan Domingo Beckmann's family.
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Humito is made of 100 percent agave and gets its complex smoky taste and aroma from an unique technique that utilizes Mexican mesquite wood during the artisanal process. Humito is described as "soft on the nose and smooth on the palate..." with a taste profile the features "forward notes of encino and sweet Mexican mesquite wood, top notes of honey and maple, and fruity floral undertones." If you're a tequila connoisseur, or just looking for a liquor unlike any other, it'll be hard to top the Humito.