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PAPERCITY PROMOTION SCENE ELEVATED SIPPING WITH MAYENDA By Lauren Kandel, Virginia Parry. Photography Afritina Coker. Scene: Mayenda, Campari Group's newest luxury sipping tequila, kicked off the season with a tasting night at Park House where a private dining area in the members-only social club was transformed into an agave field. The affair brought out Dallas' chicest cocktailers as Mayenda margaritas and hibiscus old-fashioned cocktails made the rounds. Takeaway: Mayenda is named for the legend of Mayahuel, the Aztec goddess of the agave, who is said to have embodied the plant. The innovative production process introduces two unique steps before the tequila's final distillation. First, roasted piñas are macerated to capture the aromas and flavor of caramelized, cooked agave. Then they're blended with agave miel — the cherished honey of the plant — before entering a copper-pot still to craft a rich and complex blanco tequila. High Point: Maestro Jesus Susunaga Acosta hosted the evening's tequila tasting at an intimate table, sharing his knowledge of agave and the tequila-making process. Sipping tequila was served neat at room temp in custom Riedel Ouverture glasses to enhance the rich caramel layer of the agave. Spotted: Sharon Lee Clark, Melinda and Mark Knowles, Lele Sadoughi, Amber Griffin, Kaleta Blaffer Johnson, Kristin Bray, Christina Geyer, Kelly and Jack Cornell, Doniphan Moore, and Tanner Moussa. Shana Bygott-Webb, Maestro Tequilero Jesus Susunaga, Lele Sadoughi Doniphan Moore Billy Fong, Tanner Moussa Amber Griffin Sharon Lee Clark Maestro Tequilero Jesus Susunaga with bottle of Mayenda Tequila Lauren Kandel, Cate Waco Kaleta Blaffer Johnson Lauren Millet, Christina Geyer Jack & Kelly Cornell 139