Tequila Aficionado Magazine Tequila Aficionado Magazine began as a direct-to-consumer online magazine in 1999 and run single-handedly by founder, Alexander “Alex” Perez. The online magazine went through several incarnations and design changes over the years but what remained the same was Alex’s passion for Mexican spirits: Tequila, Mezcal and Sotol. In 2000, while discussing their tequila tasting during a podcast for Tequila Aficionado Magazine, Mike coined the phrase Sipping Off The Cuff™. From that day forward, Alex and Mike’s podcasts, video casts and live broadcast tastings would be known as Sipping Off The Cuff™. As often happens with labors of love, life’s labors called Alex and Mike elsewhere and Tequila Aficionado Magazine went on a short hiatus. During this hiatus, Mike hosted “Intimate Tequila Tastings”, tequila tasting events that introduced new aficionados to the finer points of tequila tasting and expanded the horizons of seasoned sippers, as well. He was then asked to host and co-produce a television program called “Last Tequila Standing.” Tequila Aficionado Media™ In early 2012, with Mike’s first season of Last Tequila Standing already completed, Mike and Alex were approached by a social media consultant and novelist with a taste for tequila and a desire to see Tequila Aficionado Magazine relaunch as Tequila Aficionado Media. Lisa Pietsch envisioned Tequila Aficionado Media producing and publishing podcasts, video programs, an extensive library of in-depth written reviews, books, magazines, events and much, much more. With Lisa’s vision & track history for execution, Alex and Mike agreed to take her on as a partner, creating a media company focused specifically on agave spirits. In 2015, they broadcast Last Tequila Standing, the first tequila reality show of its kind, launched their inaugural RV Tequila Tour, and partnered with Disney's Maker Studios.