More than fifty people showed up to a Monday afternoon masterclass — out of sixty-two registered. That's a no-show rate that would be almost unheard-of back home, and the first sign the room was going to be a good one.
I built and delivered this "Extra Spicy Masterclass" for Xila, a Mexican aperitif made from mezcal and seven botanicals, including caramelized pineapple and ancho chile.
The brand debuted their new Extra Spicy Liqueur for the Japanese market in June so this event was the official launch.
I worked with the founder, Hilhamn Salomé, and her local distributor to plan, write, and co-host the masterclass for a room of bartenders and industry insiders at the Mexican Embassy in Tokyo.
Sixteen slides of cocktail ideas, delivered live in English and Spanish, timed around simultaneous Japanese translation.
I'd been fighting a cold all weekend and saved what voice I had for the room. We'd rehearsed the translation handoffs enough times that the actual run went smoothly—no dead air, no confusion over which slide people were looking at.
And the room paid attention! Nobody was on their phone. People were photographing the slides with the actual cocktail ratios on them, which is always a good sign in my book.
Ruka Hattori, the guest bartender from SG Club Tokyo, built a long, refreshing drink around Xila Extra Spicy and mango, served with a dropper of the liqueur on the side so guests could pour their own amount.
I would have just squeezed the whole thing in 😅 but watching her read the room and adapt the format for a Japanese audience was its own kind of insight.
My favorite moment: a senior bartender I've long admired came up afterward to tell me about the new Xila cocktail the masterclass had inspired him to build for his own bar.
He wasn't the only one — two or three bartenders told me on the spot they were already planning to order Xila for their bars, which, for a launch event, is the whole ballgame.
Something about a small, women-run distillery in Mexico City making a botanical liqueur by hand seemed to land especially well in the room. It's not a story format big spirits brands usually bring to a Japanese audience, and I made a point of telling it live, not just printing it on a card.
More from the event
A minute of the room, for anyone who wants the vibe more than the write-up:
