In May 2019, Tucson hosted the Délice Network Gathering during the Agave Heritage Festival - an annual event that celebrates the significance of the ancient agave, a versatile plant used to make tequila, mescal, and other liquors. For the first time in Délice, cocktails were featured along with food.
Tucson's representatives and organizers of the Festival invited four renowned mixologists from Délice cities to perform during two public events:
"Mezcrawl": a concept where visitors stroll different city bars to taste the local drinks. The four guests were each hosted by a different bar.
"The Agave Spirit of The World": a special event held in a former factory where all guest mixologists were invited to present their creations to the public.
A unique opportunity for them to meet with fellow mixologists, discover the origins of the Mezcal & Tequila, showcase their talents, and discover new liquor brands.
Over the past years, many cities have realized the importance of having a strong cocktail scene and cocktails ambassadors with the rise of the mixology trend. So Brussels, Cali, Lyon, and Mérida decided to bring their top mixologist to Tucson to showcase their cities and celebrate their Cocktail Scene in the USA.
They still call themselves Bartenders, yet they also have the talent to imagine, create, and prepare unique and sophisticated drinks. Meet the four mixologists who enhanced the cocktails in Tucson:
Pierre Millour from Brussels, Belgium:
Pierre has been one of the leading forces behind the rise of the local cocktail scene over the last five years. Pierre is owner and bartender at the famous cocktail bar "Chez ta Mère" and has co-created two local cocktail events: Blend & The Brussels Cocktail week.
Carlos Gaitán from Cali, Colombia:
Living in Cali for 15 years, Carlos Gaitán saw the opportunity of taking mixology to another level: "there's room for craft drinks". So Carlos created cocktails with viche and tomaseca, original drinks from the African-American community. Carlos was named Colombia's ambassador for Campari in 2016.
Marc Bonneton from Lyon, France:
Marc has developed a new original French style: a mix of classicism, elegance, and modernism "à la française." He manages two iconic and well-rated cocktail bars: l'Antiquaire & l'Officine. In 2011, Marc won the French Legacy Cocktail Competition and the Global Bacardi Legacy.
Diego Valencia Domínguez from Mérida, Mexico:
Diego refined his passion for finely distilled Mexican Mezcal in Tulum, where he began to learn the process of production from some of the best Mezcaleros in Mexico. In 2016, Diego committed to bringing sustainability to the cocktail industry, using organic products & biodegradable materials.