Familia Camarena™ Tequila Takes Top Signature Tequila Cocktail Honors at the 2011 Ultimate Beverage Challenge Competition

NEW YORK, April 28, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Familia Camarena Tequila has knotted yet another prestigious distinction among the professional spirits community. Following the Ultimate Cocktail Challenge held April 5-8 in New York, Familia Camarena Tequila was awarded the 2011 Ultimate Cocktail Challenge Chairman's Trophy distinction of best original tequila cocktail. The winning Camarena Santa Maria cocktail featuring Familia Camarena Reposado Tequila topped a field of premium tequila competitors in the Ultimate Cocktail Challenge's first-of-its-kind freestyle cocktail competition designed to objectively distinguish category leaders in premium mixed cocktails.

Executed by a team of top New York City bartenders and judged by a panel of principal spirits journalists and mixologists, including internationally renowned beverage alcohol expert, F. Paul Pacult, original cocktails submitted by spirits brands from across the globe were evaluated on the 100-point scale. Signature cocktails that eclipsed the 90-point mark of excellence received the coveted Ultimate Cocktail Challenge Chairman's Trophy. Familia Camarena Tequila was one of only two signature tequila recipes to receive Chairman's Trophy recognition, and the only tequila brand to also receive the "Great Value" distinction, awarded to spirits that offer a superb value/price relationship.

Familia Camarena Tequila's award-winning recipe:

"Familia Camarena Tequila is honored to receive distinction from the Ultimate Cocktail Challenge as a category standout, both for quality and value, in the premium mixed cocktail competitive beverage evaluation," said Gerard Thoukis, Director of Marketing for Camarena. "This competition has set a new standard for meaningful and credible spirits evaluation and we sincerely appreciate the endorsement from the industry's most esteemed experts, educators, journalists and mixologists. This award is invaluable to Familia Camarena Tequila as we continue to expand our premium cocktail presence in the on-premise community."

Introduced in California and Nevada one year ago and now available in all 50 states, Familia Camarena Tequila has quickly risen to the top as a quality, award-winning 100 percent agave tequila. Earning critical acclaim from the 2010 San Francisco World Spirits Competition, Familia Camarena Reposado received a Gold Medal and Familia Camarena Silver received Bronze Medal recognition. The Beverage Testing Institute has recognized both bottlings as "Best Buys" with a 91-point score awarded to Familia Camarena Reposado and a 90-point score to Familia Camarena Silver. Most recently, Familia Camarena Reposado received 94 points, in addition to "Good Value" accolades in the May 2011 issue of Wine Enthusiast Magazine.

In partnership with the domestic importer, Alto Spirits LTD, Familia Camarena Tequila is available nationally at a suggested retail price of $20 for each expression in the 750mL size.

About Familia Camarena Tequila

With a legacy of six generations of tequila making experience, Familia Camarena Tequila is made from 100 percent blue agave grown in the Los Altos Highlands region of Jalisco, one of Mexico's most prestigious tequila districts. Produced in Arandas at the family-owned and operated distillery, each bottle is double distilled, as well as bottled, labeled and packaged by hand. The Familia Camarena Tequila portfolio includes a 100% Blue Agave Silver and a 100% Blue Agave Reposado, which is aged for a minimum of two months in both new and used American oak barrels. For more information on Familia Camarena Tequila, visit www.tequilacamarena.com.

Tequila, Alcohol 40% by Volume (80 proof) ©2011 Altos Spirits Company, Hayward, CA. All rights reserved.

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Kylie Garrett
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SOURCE Familia Camarena Tequila