Julio Bermejo

What was the moment you realized that you and the spirit industry were a match? 
My career has essentially held firm to one track, aimed a single direction – Tequila. My epiphany moment came on my first trip visiting tequila distilleries, when I met several legends in the business:  Don Felipe Camarena, of Tequila Tapatio, Guillermo Romo de La Peña the owner of Tequila Herradura, Fernando Gonzales, one of the owners of Tequila Siete Leguas, Master Distillers, Don Mario Gomez of tequila Regional, and Don Guty Sanchez of Tequila Vuida de Romero. All of these gentlemen took in a green, young, rookie who knew very little, and shared their passion for all things agave, Jalisco, and quality. Thanks to these titans, tequila had me hook, line, and sinker!  I would go on to continue to visit the region every 6 weeks on my own dime for the next 16 years.

What is your favorite spirit?
Growing up, I spent a lot of time in the Yucatan, so early on I enjoyed light lager-style Mexican beer, rum, and brandy. However, I never enjoyed how I felt the morning after overindulging. Fortunately I discovered tequila – 100% agave tequila. What started as a youthful experiment evolved into my lifetime passion. Sure, I like single pot Irish whisky, some cognac, calvados, and bourbon, but my LOVE is 100% agave, naturally cooked, naturally fermented, pot distilled … Tequila!

What is your favorite classic cocktail?
A Tommy’s Margarita made with naturally made 100% agave highland añejo Tequila!  A simple recipe, yet refreshing and complex when made just right.

First original cocktail recipe?
My first published cocktail recipe was actually my own take on sangria, back in the early 90’s, I believe that was in the Washington Post. Larry Walker then reprinted that same recipe in his book on Tequila. It took Dre Masso and Henry Besant to start to promote the Tommy’s Margarita recipe before it started appearing in print.

First cocktail/mixology gig?
Anyone who knows me is aware my career path has been relegated to one location and has lasted a lifetime, my family’s restaurant, Tommy’s. It has been the central point from which I have found a lifetime of adventure, fueled by my passion for and promotion of the world and culture of quality tequila. Hard to call a specific ‘first gig’ but I will say that my career was affirmed to me in on two fronts … First, when Tony Abou-Ganim walked into Tommy’s for the first time in 1997?, sat at the bar, and wanted to see what we were doing. Tony was, and still is, a pillar in the bartending world. Having someone like him want to know what we were doing was like having Willie Mays come see you play catch! Life uplifting, in that for the first time I realized a serious heavy hitter was taking the time to notice what I was doing. Second, I started to see international interest … Dre Masso and Henry Besant got me invited to early London Bar Shows in the early 2000’s. That second come to Jesus moment was when I was allowed to bartend on a stage, Dale Degroff was bartending on my left, and Salvatore Calabrese was bartending on my right. I definitely was the weakest link, but felt incredibly proud and in awe to share a stage with those gentlemen. After one of the Bar Shows, Dre and Henry took me to a house party at the home of Jared Brown and Anastasia Miller. Amazingly anyone who was anyone in the London Bar scene was there. Aside from meeting so many luminaries there, I was blown away when Dick Bradsell knew who I was and then asked me if I would make him a Tommy’s Margarita!!!! I could not believe he knew who I was! I then proudly asked if he would make me a Bramble!