For two full months I had been mentally preparing myself for Mark’s visit to our new apartment in Tlaquepaque. Mark Alberto Holt is the mastermind behind the SFT Tequila Bar in Sayulita, Mexico. He’s a great friend, and Scarlet and I were really excited to have him at our house for a few days.

In a previous entry, Mark and Gabbi Villarrubia mentioned that Don Fernando’s TKO tequila is the best tequila to drink when you’re hang out with your buddies, so I made sure we had a bottle in the house in plenty of time for his arrival.

It was a good call.

Don Fernando TKO Silver is a special edition double-distilled 100-proof, 100% agave tequila that comes in a red bottle shaped like a boxing glove. The 50% alcohol volume makes it a strong contender as a fun party guest. It’s a really nice tequila to drink because it’s got a slightly pleasant, spicy sensation to it, yet it feels smooth at the same time. Even though it’s got some really high alcohol content, it’s still easy to drink.

I thing the TKO is the perfect tequila to break out when you’re ready to have a fun night. The TKO gets things off to a great start – filling you with energy and enthusiasm, anxious to celebrate life’s adventures. In this respect, the TKO did not disappoint, and the night was a fun adventurous way to welcome Mark into town.

This tequila is made for men. It is certainly strong stuff, and if you’re not careful, you could end up getting drunk really fast. Scarlet decided to leave the TKO for us, while she happily sipped on Tequileño Reposado.

Mark and I ended up killed 3/4 of the bottle that night, thinking that we were just going to hang out in the apartment all night – talking and catching up. But plans changed when we got a text message from our friend Clayton:

“At the Quinta Don Jose with Guillermo Sauza”

WHAT! The maker of one of our favorite tequilas in the world is hanging out inside of one of our favorite hotels in the world?!

We dropped everything and ran over to the hotel, and there was a nice happy crowd sitting in the back courtyard of the hotel – right where Scarlet and I were married. This is like sentimental ground zero for us. There were bottles of Los Abuelos (It’s available under the “Fortaleza” brand in the USA) all over the table, and people were busy chatting and drinking.

Guillermo Sauza is a modern day tequila rock star with huge family roots in the tequila world. He does his own thing, his own way, and – like the tequila he produces – is 100% unique and authentic. There’s nobody like Guillermo, and there’s no tequila like Fortaleza.

Hanging out with him is always a pleasure, and hours can slip by without notice as you listen to his stories. He is a fifth-generation descendant of the Sauza family – a family that has done really great things for the tequila industry.

It was a very fun night, and a fantastic way to welcome Mark into town. We barely slept at all.

The next day, as we were exhausted laying on the couch talking about the night, we decided to flip on the video camera and record our conversation. It was most definitely a great evening, and it all started with good friends and a bottle of TKO.

– Grover