David Ruiz would say he was born into his current line of work. He’s an independent tequila consultant, sharing knowledge of Mexico’s most famous spirit with a diverse clientele, from private label brand developers and venture capitalists to bartenders and sommelier-professors. You can find him escorting foreigners around Jalisco, starring in online videos (how to choose a proper tequila drinking glass) and organizing the World International Tequila Conference.
Ruiz was born and grew up in the United States, and speaks English with a practiced lecturer’s control that’s given to fits of rapid staccato when he’s eager to reach his next point. He’s steeped in what he calls “the tequila world,” having spent time visiting relatives in Mexico over the years – relatives deeply involved in the tequila industry. He knows many of the guys who make the stuff, the owners and the tequila masters, and admits that his family connections have helped him to earn their trust in such a closed industry.
Though Ruiz turned to a domestic career in manufacturing and engineering in the United States, he remained an enthusiastic hobbyist of the beverage. Indeed, it was one of the tequila message boards he was wont to peruse in 2006 that set him on his present course. He answered a post asking for advice on purchasing a tequila factory, which led to an exchange of phone calls, which led to a flight and meeting in Washington, D.C. and finally, a guided trip to Jalisco to tour several distilleries and learn about the industry. When it was over, the investor put a chunk of money into one of the plants and Ruiz’s tequilatours.com was born.
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