Ana Maria is a leading tequila tasting expert who has consulted many of the leading brands on flavor profiles. She has developed widely-used tools such as a tequila aroma kit and tasting wheel to help connoisseurs deepen their knowledge of tequila.

Mark will share his experience on how to develop a successful tequila bar and provide bartenders and others with the training they need to teach consumers about tequila and help them discover their own preferences.

David Ruiz is a business development consultant in the Tequila Industry and the Director of the World International Tequila Conference. He is an expert in Tequila and holds a “Deplomado en Formacion de Tecnico Tequilero”, from the Universidad Autonoma de Guadalajara and the CRT.  David is also a professional Tequila Taster, holding an “Experto en Tequila” certification from the Academia Mexicana de Catadors de Tequila y Vinos.

His current projects include the development of Tequila profiles for several Tequila brands under development. He is a duel citizen of the United States and Mexico and is a graduate of San Jose State University in California.

David will be presenting the workshop on developing a Tequila Brand.

This workshop will guide you through the process of compliance with Mexican regulations, filing required documentation, applying for permits, selecting a distillery, developing a Tequila taste profile and managing the export process.

Mr. Cedeño was recently interviewed by TasteTequila.com, and the video can be viewed here (below.) In the interview, he talked about his presentation to the Presidents, and talks about trends in the tequila industry.

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Tasting events happened at the conference hotel, at various restaurants in the Jalisco area, and in the distilleries themselves.

“The tequila experts that David hand picks as key presenters have a breast of knowledge in tequila; He schedules some of the best tours to distilleries where one can gain experience of how tequila is made along with a detailed historical story. Simply a memorable experience for one that is new to tequila or a connoisseur.”

Laura Reyes Frausto
Artisan Sprits International
Owner/CEO

“The WITC gave me an opportunity to share my passion and experience for Tequila with the industry. It was a great way to share valuable consumer market trends directly with the other participants of WITC, and provided significant insight that I was able to use behind the bar, and to improve our inventory.”

“Meeting so many high-powered tequila industry professionals has opened the door for me to expand into new tequila opportunities. The WITC was easily understood in English and David Ruiz organized an amazing event beneficial to any person in the Spirits Industry, especially bar owners and their bartenders.”

Mark Alberto Holt
Creator, SFT Tequila Bar
The Tequila Traveler

“For me, attending this event was a very smart move. It taught me more about tequila than I ever expected, and introduced me to some of the most talented and influential people in the tequila industry – people with whom I’ve maintained lasting friendships.”

“The World International Tequila Conference opened countless doors into unique and hard-to-access places. As a blogger, it dramatically improved the quality of our posts  and gave us access to sources at the highest levels of the tequila world. Looking back on the friendships and connections I made at the WITC – it feels like I now belong to a special fraternity of tequila aficionados (and I can’t wait to go back!)

Grover Sanschagrin
Blogger, TasteTequila.com

“From the first night at Tequilas Del Senior to the exclusive face time with tequila industry heavy weights, WITC is the definitive tequila experience. For me personally, listening to Carlos Camarena talk about his insight and experiences in the Tequila industry was worth the investment.”

“I tasted tequila I would have never been able to taste let alone have access to. I also made many new friends and contacts and for that I will always be grateful. I highly recommend this conference to anyone interested in expanding their knowledge of tequila.”

Reece Henderson
WITC Attendee, 2009

“It’s the best place for networking in the tequila industry.”

Juan Bernardo Torres Mora
Tequila Expert, Author

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These images were taken during at very special visit.

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Distilleries included in these pictures are: Tequilas del Señor; Siete Leguas; El Tesoro;  Tequileño; and Tres Mujeres.

Pictures from the tequila distillery tours that were part of the 2009 World International Tequila Conference.

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Distilleries included in these pictures are:
Tequilas del Señor; Siete Leguas; El Tesoro; Tequileño; and Tres Mujeres