How Tequila Joe Got Started
I was introduced to tequila by my brother, who made a name for himself taking what
became to be known as "Sam Shots" (Approx. 6oz). However, until 2004 I only drank the
golden elixir at bars (mainly the Cantina...as many know) and parties. When Patron Platinum
was released I bought my first bottle and my collecting habit was born. From that day on, I
became obsessed with collecting rare and hard to find tequilas. My obsession lasted about a
year, providing me with more than 50 bottles but soon after I started to get bored with the
collection. I stopped purchasing tequila and started to polish off bottles from my collection.
Don't worry the collection is still going strong thanks to the help of a friend who bought me
a book about tequila for my birthday in 2005. Once I started reading about the history,
process, culture, etc. I was hooked again. I started buying every book I could get my hands
on, which fueled my passion for tequila to new measures. Shortly after I finished my first
tequila book, I started traveling all over California in search of rare bottles. My collection
continued to grow reaching 75 bottles in 2006. With the growing collection, I started being
known for my tequila and knowledge of the beverage. With some minimal convincing, I
hosted my first tequila tasting in celebration of Cinco de Mayo 2006 and have continued to
provide tastings and share my knowledge with all those who desire. My collection, in its
current state, now contains over 300 bottles. In short, this was how I became to be known
as Tequila Joe.