We tried the first of three Patron Tequila-inspired events for this month’s Mixology Series at The Edison. Find out what to expect from this experience…
Tequila might not be the first spirit you think of when you think of the winter holidays – better saved for a beach-side cocktail or college parties. But The Edison decided to challenge that idea this month by featuring tequila as the centerpiece of three mixology events that pair cocktails and bites bursting with holiday flavors together to make festive tequila fans out of everyone.
The Edison in Disney Springs. Photo by Stephanie Shuster.
On December 1, 2022, we were invited to participate in the first of three sessions in The Edison’s latest Mixology Series. They do this every month with a new spirit, like Absolute Vodka, Crown Royal, or Hendrik’s Gin. This month, Patrón Tequila is the star. The December 1 event focused on their Silver tequila, but tickets are still available for their December 8 and December 15 events, focusing on Reposado and Añejo tequila, respectively. You can get tickets here.
Learning All About Tequila
If you’ve been reading the blog, following our social channels, or reading WDW Magazine for a while now, you know that I’m a big foodie. I love learning about where my food and drinks come from, how they’re made, what makes them special as a piece of art or culture, and how to select or taste an ingredient properly.
I’ve been to countless wine, beer, and spirit demonstrations and tastings, and they often fall flat with a focus on pouring and drinking, not educating and savoring. I’ll be honest – that’s what I expected here, and I was simply DELIGHTED that we had a full two hours to learn about Patrón, taste tequila, enjoy some pairings and talk to a Patrón representative, mixologist, chef, and manager who were all too happy to chat and answer our questions.
There were a few other media outlets there the night I attended, but the public got the same opportunity, and I thought it added enormous value to the $65 ticket price.
The Edison’s lakeside patio was the even venue. Photo by Stephanie Shuster.
When we arrived, we were escorted down a flight of stairs to The Edison’s lower floor, and out to the gorgeous lakeside patio. It was a perfect night – warm air, a slight breeze, and distant sounds from the live music around Disney Springs drifting over the water. We could see the lights from neighboring venues and Saratoga Springs, watch the boats float by, and gaze up at the Aerophile balloon. It was peacefully quiet and a great setting to enjoy the evening.
A tasting flight of tequila. Photo by Stephanie Shuster.
From left: Añejo, Reposado and Silver Patrón tequila. Photo by Stephanie Shuster.
Each party was escorted to their own table, set up with a Patrón fact sheet, and three sips of tequila in nosing glasses.
The first portion of the evening, we learned about Silver, Reposado, and Añejo tequilas (the three main types of tequila that are defined by how long they have aged) and had the opportunity to taste each one along with learning about tasting notes and what makes them unique.
We learned a lot about Patrón’s process, community commitment and environmental stewardship. Photo by Stephanie Shuster.
I won’t spoil everything we learned because it’s worth attending and hearing for yourself, but as a scotch drinker, I really enjoyed learning about the harvesting, distillation, and fermentation process. Even though Patrón is my own go-to tequila, I found out a lot more about their commitment to the environment and community that made me respect their company to a whole new level.
Mixing Up A Party Punch Bowl
Mixologist Alana demonstrated how to make a tequila punch bowl for a party. Photo by Stephanie Shuster.
After the edutainment portion of the evening, it was time for our first cocktail and food pairing. Again, I was pleasantly surprised by the portions here! We were given two large cocktails over the course of the night, along with a large plate of kebabs and a dessert. I walked away feeling like I’d had a meal, not the snack I expected.
The “Thymed Pearfectly” cocktail was served in a souvenir ceramic cup. Photo by Stephanie Shuster.
Tequila marinated pork skewers were a perfect pair. Photo by Stephanie Shuster.
The punch bowl was served as our first cocktail, the “Thymed Pearfectly” which featured an entire bottle each of Patrón Silver and Chandon Brut, along with pear juice, a housemade thyme simple syrup, and lots of ice. It was refreshing and lacked any harsh alcohol burn you might expect if your tequila experience is limited to shots.
I’m planning to make this for my own family’s Christmas Eve gathering – it was that good! Mixologist Alanna (creator of the Pink Ribbon cocktail, which sold nearly 4000 units this fall, was dressed purrrrfectly in a Christmas cat jumpsuit – so festive!) demonstrated how to make this large-format cocktail for a group, and even explained how to make just one or two at a time.
The Edison’s Executive Chef Dee was on hand to explain the dishes to us. Photo by Stephanie Shuster.
As we sipped, Chef Dee came out to present our dinner: Tequila marinated pork skewers with cherry tomato, zucchini, Asian pear, and onion. These were so tender, juicy, and bursting with flavor. The sweetness of the pear complimented everything and tied the dish into the cocktail wonderfully.
One Tequila, Blue Tequila…
Our playful second pair featured the “Frostbite” and Chef Dee’s special white chocolate cheesecake. Photo by Stephanie Shuster.
With our savory pairing out of the way, we moved on to a sweet ending. The “Frostbite” cocktail was hand-shaken with Patrón Silver, Blue Curaçao, White Crème de Cacao, and cream – all poured over a blue ice cube and garnished with edible glitter! Alana challenged herself with this one, as creamy tequila drinks are not the norm, and the result was reminiscent of a chocolate orange.
Chef Dee paired this with her very special cheesecake (you can read all about it in our March 2023 issue, where we sit down with the Chef for a detailed interview – subscribe here!), some whimsical blue whipped cream, and a raspberry reindeer nose.
Is The Edison’s Mixology Series Worth It?
I was really impressed with this event, and I’ll be bringing my husband, Danny, back for a date night for a future Mixology series. It surpassed my expectations, and between the portion sizes, quality of food and drinks, educational component, souvenir cup, and opportunity to chat and ask questions with The Edison team, I’d say that the price of the event is well justified. You could easily spend that much on dinner and a drink in Disney Springs without any of the extras!
The next two events this month feature totally different menus:
December 8: Patrón Reposado
- “Dark Side of Winter” – Patrón Reposado Tequila, Lemon Juice, Lime Juice, Simple Syrup, Cocoa Nib Infused Port paired with Beef, Port Reduction, and Wild Rice
- “Santa’s Secret” – Patrón Reposado Tequila, Stirrings Ginger Liqueur, Lime Juice, Pomegranate Juice, Hellfire Bitters paired with Pomegranate Ginger Fruit Cakes
December 15: Patrón Añejo
- “Starry Night” – Patrón Añejo Tequila, Starfruit Chunks, Orange Slices, Rosemary, Grand Marnier. Served in a Porthole paired with Grilled u12 Shrimp w/ Starfruit chutney
- “Sleigh All Day” – Patrón Añejo Tequila, Allspice Dram, Agave, Orange Bitters, Black Walnut Bitters, Cinnamon Cordial paired with Stewed Curried Chicken with White Rice
Sign up before they sell out – get your tickets here!
Thanks to The Edison for hosting us at the December 1st event in their Mixology Series – Patrón Tequila, where we learned about the tequila-making process and how to taste tequila, enjoyed 2 cocktails and two dishes and received a souvenir cup to take home.
