Back in 2018, only one year after Volcán de Mi Tierra first launched, we visited their dedicated fabrica at the foot of the Tequila Volcano in Jalisco. We witnessed firsthand the diligence the Gallardo family shows throughout its distilling process—other tequila we celebrated last week for National Tequila Day, El Tesoro Extra Añejo.
As one of the few tequila brands that owns and operates its own independent distillery, Volcán de Mi Tierra lords great command over its process. Of course it doesn’t hurt having Moët Hennessy money behind them, as Volcán is under luxury maestros LVMH‘s top-shelf wine and spirits division.
One of the innovations Volcán have brought to the table are what they dub Grace Casks—exclusive American oak barrels which Volcán claim imbues aromatic vanilla notes. It’s all part of their “Art of Aging” initiative, which also includes a unique cellar in the world of tequila.
“Some years ago we built a new cellar, which is 8 meters deep and has 1.5-meter-thick walls to protect our casks from the heat of Jalisco and allow gentle aging in various types of oak barrels we had been experimenting on,” COO and board member Santiago Cortina Gallardo explains. “After many trials we have been able to create the tequila we were aiming for: an ultra-smooth and aromatic expression with a long finish, and no additives.”
After rolling out three expressions, Blanco, Reposado and Cristalino, Volcán now adds this new X.A to their core portfolio. Volcán X.A is crafted by blending a trio of their homemade offerings, two of which have yet come to market (Reposado, Añejo and Extra-Añejo).
“Volcán X.A,” Gallardo promises, “is the result of several years of work and research in Volcán’s distillery.”
All of Volcán de Mi Tierra’s tequilas are made from 100% Blue Agave harvested from two terroirs, both the Highlands and the Lowlands of Jalisco. Also they promise zero additives—not easy to find in this world of increasingly sweet tequilas.
Volcán X.A. comes packaged in a tall, sleek black and gold bottle, with further gold embellishments like script, illustrated designs and cork topper. After all Volcán de Mi Tierra wasn’t named after just any volcano, it’s an homage to the volcano named Tequila.
“After a successful introduction of our 3 core products, Blanco, Reposado and Cristalino, we are thrilled to launch Volcán X.A: a pure and ultimate expression of Volcán de mi Tierra savoir-faire, created to be appreciated around the best tables of the world,” gushes Volcán de mi Tierra CEO Julien Morel. “With our ‘blend of ages,’ additive-free, we hope to delight existing and new tequila aficionados.”
Volcán X.A is exclusively available in a limited selection of about 250 venues starting last month.
Follow our Contributing Spirits Editor on Instagram at @nickstecher and @boozeoftheday.
A new six-part documentary chronicling Nicki Minaj’s ascension to the Queen of Rap throne is coming soon.
The “We Go Up” rapper–who also serves as Maxim’s Creative Director and a partner with sports betting app MaximBet–dropped a trailer for Nicki on Instagram, where she recently became the first rapper to pass 200 million followers.
“I never wanted to be mainstream,” she says as her 2018 banger “Chun-Li” plays in the background, Billboard points out. “Mainstream came to me.”
A central theme deals with Minaj’s battle make it in the traditionally male-dominated hip-hop scene. “I’m fighting for the girls who never thought they could win,” she says.
There are also allusions to issues with self-medication, self-love, and a largely “unsupportive” music industry. But it’s the trailer’s tail end that brings the most telling insight into Minaj’s drive: “I have to make music in order to stay sane,” she says.
“I took some time to perfect this very intimate, delicate, electrifying, inspiring body of work,” Minaj adds in trailer’s IG caption.
“As I decide on a home for this project, I can’t help but reflect on what I’m including in this doc. Some things are so personal, it’s scary. It’s like NOTHING you’ve seen before & I need it to be handled with care. Love you so much. Thank you for the continued support.”
While we wait for Nicki, fans can look forward to the August 11 return of Minaj’s Queen Radio on Amazon’s Amp live radio app followed by the Rick James-sampling new single “Freaky Girl” on August 12.
Lamborghini wasn’t joking when the marque mocked up images of a rally-spec, Huracan-based Sterrato concept with a jacked-up body, fat tires and tons of LEDs back in 2019.
The Italian marque just dropped a teaser dubbed Beyond the Concrete featuring a camouflaged off-road Huracan prototype, the existence of which implies that a production Sterrato is in the works.
Seconds into the teaser, the Raging Bull takes a hard left onto gravel to race against a mountain biker—the clip may remind Top Gear Fans of the freewheeling British show’s classic sequence pitting a championship-winning downhill rider vs. a Renault Clio.
But the Lambo’s lines of course look better than the Renault’s, even if it is strange to see a wedge-shaped supercar sliding around on dirt and gravel. No details were provided, but Car and Driver notes some differences and similarities between the 2019 Sterrato concept and new prototype.
The roof-mounted LED light bar is gone, and there’s now an intake cropping up from the engine bay. The slatted engine cover, roof rails, and black plastic cladding around the wheels have been retained. There’s also some degree of body lift, perhaps a bit more than the 1.8 inches given to the concept.
C&D expects to see the same 631-horsepower version of Lamborghini’s 5.2-liter V10 found in other AWD Huracans under the Sterrato’s engine cover, as we as a launch date by year’s end.
An untold volume of the world’s most popular agave-based spirit will be shot, sipped and mixed into margs on National Tequila Day. For those thirsting for something other than the category’s timeworn staples, there are two bourgeoning bottles to consider, along with some fresh twists on classic tequila cocktails.
The first will be familiar to any of the 330 million Instagram users who follow Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. The mega-influencer and actor’s Teremana—a portmanteau of the Polynesian words for earth (terra) and spirits (mana)—is made from fully mature, naturally sweet agave that’s slow-roasted in traditional brick ovens and distilled using copper pot stills at the Teremana distillery, located amid Mexico’s Jaliscan peaks.
Blanco, reposado and añejo expressions ensure there’s a Teremana bottle for every application and palate, with the former quickly becoming a favorite among bartenders for mixing—try it yourself in these twists on the spritz and the marg:
Combine Teremana Blanco, lemonade, and soda water in a highball glass with cube ice. Top with grenadine and garnish with a lemon wheel.
Shake with ice in a cocktail shaker. Strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice. Garnish with a lime wheel, pineapple leaves & sea salt (as desired).
Curamia is another rising tequila to try. Founded by accomplished Jaslico-born chef Dafnia Mizahi, the company is entirely female owned and operated. The distillery, which is located in Mizahi’s hometown, is also staffed by 95 percent local women.
Using a liquid extraction model that’s recognized by the Tequila Regulatory Council for its sustainable distillation process, Curamia aims to evoke the taste and smell of harvested agave heart, aka piña, as well as orchard fruits and softened honey crisp. Give it a try in the cocktails below:
Rim your champagne glass with tajin and set aside. Combine everything but champagne in a shaker and shake lightly to incorporate. Strain into champagne glass and top with champagne.
Muddle cucumber slices with salt in a shaking tin. Add tequila, lime and agave. Shake and double strain into a highball glass. Add ice, top with soda water and garnish with a slice of cucumber.
Teremano blanco ($32.99) and Cumaria ($39.99) are available to purchase now.
Presented by Fame Media
The road to building a successful business venture isn’t easy. There are countless obstacles, from lack of support from friends and family to self-doubt, fear of failure, and even financial instability, making it hard to implement your ideas. This was the case for 25-year-old Hunter Johnson.
When Hunter Johnson created his first-ever video game, he was 13 years old. He didn’t know much about the business world. Hunter was just a young kid who loved video games and wanted to monetize his passion. Five years later, Hunter was still following his passion but not close to his dreams. If anything, his situation had gotten much worse.
Hunter was 18 years old and homeless. He didn’t have a place he could call home, and the only assets in his name were an old laptop and a phone. He recalls sitting at Mc Donald’s for up to 13 hours a day just to use their internet, charge his laptop and phone, and then sleep on the benches in the street. This went on for a while, and when not on the streets, Hunter was couch-surfing with friends while trying to find a stable means of income and rebuild his life.
Hunter was tired of his lifestyle then. Hunter knew he had to move fast if he wanted to achieve his goal of a financially free future. He continued pushing and working hard to create video games. He was also doing other minor jobs.
After two years of nothing but hard work and resilience, Hunter Johnson finally had his big break. Hunter signed on to a popular YouTube channel dubbed The Atlantic Craft. He helped them create a promotional series for a video game. This saw the channel take off, and Hunter started receiving recognition for his fantastic work, which opened the door for more opportunities for the young dreamer.
Hunter had a place to call home, and he even enrolled at Arizona State University. Even though things were finally going well and Hunter was pursuing his degree, he felt something was missing. Hunter was not confident whether college was the right path for him, and he felt there was a smarter and quicker way to make money. He took a risk and dropped out of university in his second year.
Hunter started trading while still making video games, and it was then he came to learn about his current data business. Hunter is the Founder and CEO of Global Informatics—an information aggregator in the virtual data space.
Together with his team, Hunter writes proprietary algorithms for given information sectors that compile all known data on the web about a given subject. His skills and background in game design have allowed him to grow Global Informatics into a seven-figure brand.
From sleeping on the streets to now generating seven incomes in one month, Hunter has attained his goal of financial independence. He built a successful venture at 25, changing the entrepreneurial space. Global Informatics is diving into larger projects, including future goals of creating a Craigslist-style online marketplace.
Maxim threw the raciest party of F1’s Montreal Grand Prix weekend with a celeb-studded event that featured electric performances by Wyclef Jean and T-Pain.
The party’s guest list included actress Minka Kelly, NHL player PK Subban, tennis pro and 2022 Maxim Hot 100 beauty Eugenie Bouchard, Williams Racing F1 driver Nicholas Latifi, 2009 F1 champion Jenson Button, Super Bowl LIV champion Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, former boxing champ Jean Pascal, Riverdale star Casey Cott, celebrity choreographers Les Twins, and Upload star Robbie Amell.
The Maxim-branded event, hosted in partnership with Williams Racing, took place at the iconic Windsor Station on Saturday, June 18th. With over 2,500 guests in attendance, captivating brand activations, race simulators, circus acts, and nonstop live music, it was definitely a night to remember.
Wyclef Jean turned up the crowd with performances of his biggest hits, including “Killing Me Softly,” “Maria Maria,” and “Dance Like This,” while a subsequent set from T-Pain kept the party going into the wee hours. There was also a stellar lineup of DJ sets by Kim Lee from Bling Empire, Frank Walker, Juicy M, Donald Lauture, and Domeno.
Model Kim Bruneau hosted as guests were treated to the ultimate VIP experience. SFM Entertainment Inc. and its sponsors Corona Extra, Ferrari Trento, GameStop, and Voss transformed the 25,000-square-foot historic property into an immersive and sensory experience, fusing audio and visual elements for the first-of-its-kind party in Montreal.
Meanwhile, guests relished in an outdoor space featuring a 20,000-plus-square-foot courtyard as well as the VVIP, VIP and promoter lounges.
Celebrities, influencers, power players, athletes and Dulcedo-signed models mingled in the high-end playground and party.
Relive Maxim’s red-hot F1 event with the party’s best video and photo highlights above.
