Your Guide to Hosting a Siptastic Corporate Tequila-Pairing Party

You’ve just had a client sign that contract and solidify its terms, right? Once a deal is finalized or ‘closed,’ it's time to celebrate with your diligent team members. 

This will help boost team morale, motivate them to perform well, and build stronger client relationships. Moreover, there's no better way to kickstart a long-term bond than a fun cocktail party. 

We’re not just talking about any cocktail, but one made using tequila. According to Statista, this spirit’s popularity has been rising across the US due to a premiumization in the segment. 

Picture this scenario - the air is filled with laughter and clinking glasses. To make it all better, the aroma of Mexico’s top export is teasing everyone’s senses. You’d be surprised to know how many of your team members and clients appreciate agave. 

Elevate their tastes for the finer things in life with a sophisticated tequila pairing party. As for making it happen successfully, we’ve got you covered. Read more to understand what it takes to throw a tequila-pairing party your guests will never forget. 

How to Make the Party a Memorable Event 

Tequila consumption has exploded in the past few decades and the industry could have a net worth of $17.21 billion by 2032. Exhibiting a CAGR of 5.97%, tequila market size growth is a direct reflection of its demand. 

Choosing to host a tequila pairing party for your clients and team is a top-notch idea, but it will not work by itself. There are certain things you must keep in mind to ensure a celebratory atmosphere that exudes positive energy, fun, and a good time. Here are our top tips to make your event a memorable one. 

Know Your Tequilas Well 

If you’re a tequila lover yourself, you must have in-depth knowledge of the different varieties, their tastes, and more. If not, don’t worry as there’s nothing that a party aficionado cannot grasp about beverages. This will be a more formal event but you can still kick it up a notch for a south-of-the-border soiree feel. 

Start by getting the boozy business straight. In other words, get to know your tequila options closely. Unless you know how to buy tequila for this joyous event, the rest will just fall through the cracks. This rich spirit is generally available as a charismatic trio or three distinct types - the Blanco (white), anejo (aged), and reposado (rested). 

Now, each type has its appeal. For instance, Blanco’s fiery and zesty taste can become the life of the party. The Liquor Bros calls it tequila in its purest, unaged form. This means the raw agave flavor in this one will be the strongest. 

The anejo is usually draped in sophisticated layers of complex flavors. You can expect this tequila to be smooth, full of character, and rich. As for the reposado, the flavor is more rounded but also smooth and woody. 

There can be two other varieties depending on the seller, called extra anejo and cristalino. The former is a flavor bomb with woody, layered notes of spices, oak, and dried fruits. The latter is an anejo or extra anejo that’s been filtered to neutralize its color. Even so, the flavors are aged and luxurious. 

Have them all as a part of your corporate tequila pairing party. Shop wisely as bagging top-quality tequila can be a bit tricky. Keep these tips in mind -

• Always buy tequila that claims to be ‘100% blue agave.’ The rest are mixed versions with added flavorings and sugars. 
• The drink’s aging matters because it determines the richness of flavors. Having all varieties will ensure your guests get to make their picks. 
• The location where the agave was grown will also influence tequila’s flavor. Agave grown on the highlands imparts a fruitier and sweeter taste to the drink. That which is grown in the valley regions imparts a more earthy and woody flavor. 
• Look for brands that prepare the beverage using traditional techniques such as Tahoma wheels and brick ovens. These methods give a richer flavor to the tequila. 

Prepare Your Guests’ Palates 

Simply stocking the best tequilas in town won’t ensure that your guests can have an unforgettable pairing party. It is also about tasting the tequila in the right way. Start by encouraging your invitees to stay hydrated beforehand. 

Prepare their palates by drinking water at room temperature. Once the tequila is poured into all the glasses (usually one ounce per glass), ask your guests to swirl the drink first. Then, they must bring the glass close to their nose and stop only a few inches away from it. 

Upon bringing it closer, the nose must be centered over the mouth, having crossed the glass’ rim. It is still not time to take a sip but to sniff instead. Yes, the right way to consume tequila is to sniff it first, preferably with the mouth slightly open. Otherwise, the drink can catch someone off-guard because it is 80-proof liquor. 

Only after one’s olfactory senses have relished the tequila should the lips take a turn. In the beginning, ask your guests to just sip but not swallow the beverage. Let the drink rest on their palates as they exhale through the mouth. Gradually, the sip can be swallowed and the subsequent ones can be larger and faster. 

After everyone has had their share of sips, have them compare the notes they could taste. This is a good way to encourage healthy interactions among your clients and team, which is also an integral part of any corporate event. Before everyone moves to another variety, let them smell coffee beans and drink water to cleanse their palate. 

Serve More Than Liquid Courage 

USA Today put it rightly that there is no need for a special National Tequila Day after all, given how popular the spirit is already. However, it’s barely appreciated when tequila is served alone; your guests want more than liquid courage. 

We’re talking about food that will make everyone’s taste buds do the Mexican Hat Dance. Keep in mind that the key to successful tequila pairing lies in achieving balance. This means the bold goes with the bold and the subtle with the subtle. 

Let’s put things into perspective; pair a classic blanco with ceviche and a jolt of jalapeno. Nothing less than a dark chocolate chili concoction will suffice for the anejo, whereas reposado is best enjoyed with smoky barbecue. Fret not! Your clients will marvel at your pairing prowess as all these flavors make pleasant moves on their taste buds. 

That was just the beginning. Let’s give you a glimpse of a culinary conga line with delicious pairings that your guests will find irresistible. Blanco’s fresh peppery layers call for seafood sanctity. Imagine your guests sipping on this unaged tequila as they nibble on some zesty shrimp tacos. Could there be a love affair more torrid and intense?

As for reposado, the warmth of this variety can only be balanced with the sweet embrace of some juicy chicken sliders. That does conjure up a tantalizing image and the rich anejo craves for something equally decadent. 

How about some mole negro inside tangy enchiladas that keep guests coming back for more? Don’t forget the food, and this is meant for good food that pairs well with each tequila variety. 

Ignite the Night 

So, are your guests supposed to enjoy all of the above with their cacophony as the backdrop music? Not a chance! Since the celebration is a successful deal, all parties deserve to sway with a rhythm in their hearts and a skip in their steps. 

They say the devil is in the details, and your siptastic tequila pairing party is incomplete without the right ambiance and music. Say no to a flat fiesta and curate the ultimate playlist that covers it all, from the sultry beats of salsa to the peppy tempo of hip hop. 

Also, people eat with their eyes first, so you must cast a spell upon your guests with the right ambiance. Why not mimic the Mexican skies with shimmery string lights? That would pair well with vibrant-colored tablecloths, each of which screams, “It’s luminoso!” 

Wrapping Up

Gradually, as your corporate tequila pairing moves from sipping to sending off, remember that it’s equally important to end things on a high note. Our pro tip would be to solidify bonds and seal deals with a token of appreciation. Have a graceful parting gift for all your clients, preferably a custom mini-bottle of tequila. 

You can even pair this up with a personalized recipe card for a snack or a cocktail. Such a symbol of appreciation for their esteemed company is like a memory worth being encapsulated in a bottle. Oh, and hold your horses still as you want to have a grand finale. 

Take things to Instagram for an epic and dramatic post. Gather everyone around for a group photo that will help recall the sizzling and legendary night. Then, bid farewell to your guests and bask in the afterglow of an event that was sweet, savory, spicy, and a little gaga.