On his last visit to Miami, 2 Ounces had the opportunity to talk with David Cid, Master of Rums at Bacardi, about his side project: a podcast and video series called Azucár y Limon, co-founded with Darnell Holguin and Elisa Lopez. Read more about his new venture below.
10 Q&A’s to the creator of The Traveling Bartender: Mixology and Flair Mobile Bartender Service 1 Tell us 5 words that describe you. Intelligent, adaptable, humble, creative, intuitive 2.…
“Puerto Rican-born, Miami-bred Juan Carlos Santana started life as a music event production while cultivating a side passion for craft beers and spirits. After experiencing all the highs and lows of life on the road, he went back to school to study hospitality, with the idea of eventually opening a bar”
More than any other major US city, Miami could best be described as ‘the little engine that could,’ in terms of its mega-watt growth over the last few decades. No doubt this is due in large part to the trailblazing entrepreneurs and visionaries who set their sights on the heart of the Magic City. One such visionary would be none other than Miami native Alexa Iacovelli, who is set to launch her new ‘Encantadora’ brand of Mexican Spirits on February 8th, 2020.
Miami born-and-raised, Amanda Fraga grew up with a yen to travel and dive deeply into the mysteries of the foreign culture. “It was not long before I discovered that wine was the one lens through which I could peer extensively into a variety of cultures, given its strong relationship to the soil and local cuisine,” she says. “So I started developing a keen interest in wine, joined wine clubs and took some wine-tasting courses, all for the sake of enhancing my travel experiences. Eventually, I realized that wine was actually the industry I wanted to be part of.”
Juan Sosa has been a celebrated Cantinero for 30 years—20 of which were spent as head bartender of the iconic Mango’s on Ocean Drive. His crowd-pleasing concoctions and excellent customer service have earned him a spot as a Finalist in Bacardi’s Legacy Cocktail Competition 2020, representing Miami, with his brainchild: The Opportunity.
Santiago Vásquez is a true “Apasionado” for bartending. His approach is unpretentious and focused on delivering excellent customer service by creating a full drinking experience for his clientele. As the creator of the Antimixologist brand, Santiago designs cocktail menus, develops new recipes and it’s also an instructor at Elite Bartending School. He also sells his cool merchandise online.
Montserrat was instrumental in the launch of number of products including a new category in spirits that rapidly was adopted by key mixologists in Miami; with over 200 cocktail recipes created and placed at menus in Florida and several experiential activations for consumers.
“Early on in life, at 7 years old, I fell in love with the intoxicating aroma of tea. I can thank both my grandmothers for their influence on my earliest introduction to tea. I would bury my nose in my maternal Grandmother’s box of White Rose and deeply inhale the sweet tea scent. My paternal grandmother used to take me to Chinese and Japanese restaurants in New York frequently, where I was exposed to drinking different types of tea and tea rituals. “
Best friends Chris Buglisi and JD Recobs grew up together in New Jersey. They later shared a passion for whiskey, creating their own mixes, blends, and cocktails in their respective kitchens, often with unorthodox ingredients like tomatoes and avocados. Five years later, they hit upon the magic ingredient their whiskey was missing: ginger.