Juan Martinez, the renowned mixologist from LA's newest hotspot restaurant and lounge Toca Madera and formerly of Cecconi's, has fashioned a signature margarita cocktail featuring DELEÓN® Tequila that enhances every aspect of the classic construction with farm-fresh local ingredients to create a flavor profile for the celebrated holiday that's a unique representation of the city of Los Angeles.

The star of the "Amante Picante Margarita" – and the leader of the complete DeLeón Tequila line-up – is the new Platinum. Un-aged and unrivaled in finish, DeLeón Platinum Tequila ($60 MSRP per 750ml), made from 100% Highland agave, is a provocative Blanco with a rich, complex agave honey that is slow-fermented and twice-distilled. Locally-sourced serrano pepper and cilantro add some Mexican spice to this cocktail as a not to LA's significant Mexican population and influence.

The Crawford Hotel, Denver’s newest independent luxury hotel located inside the revitalized Denver Union Station, has partnered with two of the Mile High State’s top independent wine and spirits makers - Stranahan’s Colorado Whiskey and Infinite Monkey Theorem - to offer exclusive new “Colorado Curated” packages.

Stranahan’s Colorado Whiskey is one of the first whiskeys made in Colorado since Prohibition ended. Master Distiller Rob Dietrich sources primarily local Colorado malted barley for fermentation and distillation, and the spirit is then cut with Rocky Mountain water.

San Diego's "festival" season is in full swing this month and between beer festivals it's great to try something different. The San Diego Tacos and Tequila Festival helped celebrate two of the other great things about San Diego, while raising some great money for the Front Burner Fund, which provides assistance back of house restaurant staff for health care costs and emergency medical needs.

The 2015 festival included 12 mixologists drawing from some of San Diego's best bars and 15 different food vendors (mostly tacos, but also cupcakes and ice cream). 

Shopping for our wives and mothers is tough and if you are like me, it is often super easy to transpose what "you want" with what "she wants". 

Tequila in the United States has come a LONG way from the days when it was a rough, cheap spirit that gave you wicked hangovers. Today, there are some spectacular brands out there that are truly world class spirits that are are as good to sip as they are to mix into a cocktail. I've been blessed to have assembled a collection of bottles from press samples that now includes almost a dozen tequilas. Partida though is one of the few that I truly enjoy to share with friends as it is equally good to sip slowly as it is in a margarita. 

To learn more about this amazing spirit, we had a chance to chat with Partida's bartender ambassador Jacques Bezuidenhout.

With the Kentucky Derby almost upon us, it's time to break out our julep cups, crush some ice and mix up some awesome cocktails so we forget how silly those women look wearing their derby hats!

Summer is right around the corner, and with the change in the season comes the need for a new, refreshing cocktail. The Sawgrass Splash, the signature cocktail of THE PLAYERS Championship (May 5-10, 2015), takes summertime refreshment to the next level. Perfect for golf fans and cocktail enthusiasts alike, this vodka-based cocktail is made with GREY GOOSE® L’Orange and a tasty blend of simple syrup, lemonade, orange and lime juice. Whether you’re celebrating the 19th hole or tanning by the pool, THE PLAYERS Championship’s Sawgrass Splash is a go-to summer cocktail. It’s even better in person.

Visitors to the Cayman Islands usually focus on sites like "Hell" or "Stingray City" but last fall when I visited this amazing little island we did things a bit different. Instead of the normal tourist spots, we went to a distillery, made new friends, drank some world class spirits, and then almost missed the last tender back to our ship. Luckily we didn't miss our ship, but if we had - this would have been TOTALLY worth it!

Cayman Spirits has been distilling spirits since 2008 from a tiny shack in Georgetown Grand Cayman but in 2013, they moved into a fantastic new facility just outside of town with 5,000 square feet of space to offer tours, a tasting room, and production capacity to meet worldwide demand.

Dig out those flip flops and the sunscreen - summer is coming!

As the weather starts to heat up, step up your day drinking with an icy treat made with Amarula Cream, a South African treat made using the fruit of the indigenous marula tree. A decadent tipple, Amarula Cream is light brown in color, creamy on the palate and can be enjoyed neat, on the rocks and in an array of drinks - including boozy shakes! 

A couple months ago, Heather and I visited The Headquarters in San Diego for a fantastic date-night. A couple weeks ago though, we had the chance to spend some more time there at a Chocolate and Beer tastings held at Dallmann Fine Chocolates.  This is just one of the fun ways to spend time at The Headquarters, which is located right downtown next to Seaport Village on Harbor Drive.

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Rums of Puerto Rico. All opinions are 100% mine.

I simply love spirits. Just the name inspires something amazing and the process to distill them has driven men to create amazing machines and explore chemistry in ways they previously might not have. In particular, I am a fan of Puerto Rican Rum since well... rum is one of my favorite spirits and Puerto Rico is one of my favorite Caribbean islands! Are you ready? I am, It’s Rum Time!

One thing that I did NOT expect however was that this industry would produce an incredibly innovative video campaign that simultaneously helped educate fans about the more than 450 years that Puerto Rican Rum has been enjoyed while being completely entertaining and extremely well produced.

While the episodes take some liberties in imagining how some of the greatest events in the world were celebrated, the science behind such accomplishments such as the quest of indoor lighting by  Nikola Tesla and Thomas Edison are essentially accurate. That being said however, it would not be surprising to me if people first experiencing electric lights did celebrate with a toast of Puerto Rican rum - I know I've certainly raised a glass for far lesser causes :)

Beyond the video series, the It’s Rum Time site also has drink recipes, spotify playlists, and  matching up to the different episodes. Additionally it also features the Puerto Rican rum brands represented including: Bacardi and Don Q that I am sure you are familiar with already, but also Ron del Barrilito, Trigo, Caliche, Caray, and Club Caribe.

Puerto Rico is a fantastic island with amazing people, food, and yes some of the best rum in the world, so this sort of campaign is very natural for them. Puerto Rico is the Rum Capital and it is virtually the natural spirit of Puerto Rico. Everyone I have met during my travels from there looks at their personal recipes and favorite distilleries as a source of national pride. 

So to that sense of passion for heritage and culture I salute them with a toast of Bacardi Ocho to enjoy while we wait for the next episode to be released from the It's Rum Time site!

Wisconsin welcomes travelers of all kinds, including those looking to experience an amazing mancation. From a weekend on the lake with the boys to seven days of rugged outdoor activities, Wisconsin offers four seasons of unbeatable fun. So whether you take a plane, train or car ride to get here, just know when you visit the cheesehead state, you’re sure to find Wisconsin fun.

It's been a brutal winter for most of the country - lucky for me though, I happen to live in Southern California where 72 and sunny is a way of life and our "bad days" are those 5 times a year where it might rain. That makes a beautiful lemon orchard just north of Los Angeles the perfect location to kick off a national tour to promote Shock Top's newest flavor - Lemon Shandy, drawing it's zest from real California lemon peels. 

Ok guys, I've shared some easy recipes here in the past and there's something to be said for a cocktail recipe that can be shared in 3-4 lines. However, sometimes it's good to try something a little more advanced and that's what I have to share with you today from our friends at Basil Hayden's, part of the Beam Small Batch Collection.

Unfortunately, not everyone can make it to New Orleans to experience Mardi Gras in person. However, we have a fun way to bring the excitement Mardi Gras to your friends and family - host a progressive New Orleans themed cocktail party! That's exactly what we did and it was even more fun than we expected as we paraded around our apartment complex going from loft to loft, handing out beads, sampling cocktails, and enjoying some classic New Orleans food with friends and neighbors.

Rum and Bourbon drinks are synonymous with Mardi Gras, but what about our good friends from Mexico?

Hornitos sent in these fun tequila cocktail recipes to help us celebrate!

It's date night and we're here to save you with some delicious cocktails with Hornitos that perfect for Valentine's Day or date night any time of the year!

The stakes are rising fellas'! Valentine's Day is almost here and what are you going to do? Cooke a romantic dinner? Buy Flowers? or something different?

We vote for something different and we think it's time you learned how to make some craft cocktails that show her just how much you mean to her. The folks over at Cruzan sent over these recipes to give us a head start, so let's dive in!

Are you lucky enough to have a partner that loves beer almost as much as you do? Well then I've got a great Valentine's Day gift suggestion for you!

Frankly though, they have a lot more than stuff for the women in our lives and you will have as much fun shopping as she will in receiving it. Of course, if you are lucky, she will remember this place when it comes time for your birthday or fathers day since it has some great gifts for guys too!. 

It's time to raise your glass and celebrate the holidays with a toast among friends! BourbonBlog.com, ChickVacations.com, FlowSocialMedia.com, and I have joined up with other bloggers and brands who agree to celebrate the holidays and the arrival of the new years with a world-wide social media virtual toast and we want you to join us as well.