Over the years, Cooper formed working relationships with these artisanal producers. In 1995, Del Maguey was founded to uplift these methodologies and bring their products to the U.S. intact. There is a saying that ‘You don’t find Mezcal. Mezcal finds you!’ …… I can sip a good organic mezcal all day or night and not feel bad the next day… It does not hurt my body. Del Maguey Founder Ron Cooper The Antonio family also uses an underground roasting oven cut directly into the granite hillside, infusing heaps more flavor from the environment. Del Maguey distinguishes itself through its exceptional spirits and the captivating artwork adorning each bottle. Made in San Cristóbal Lachirioag in the northern mountains of Oaxaca, Tosba “is bright, complex,” and “one of the few brands that can keep the consistency of their recipe over the years,” says Romero.

The Cruz family roasts their agave in earthen pits not for three days, but 30. In the process, the piñas get a sort of jump start on the fermentation process, literally beginning to rot underground. When finally removed after a month, the charred, dark orange piñas are engrossed in blue and white webs of fungus. Yet, unlike most other brands on the market, there is no Del Maguey factory. Instead, Del Maguey works with 10 different indigenous villages throughout Oaxaca and Puebla, Mexico. Michael Merolli, CEO of House of Tequila – Pernod Ricard, said: “Del Maguey Vida Puebla is an invitation to those who haven’t yet experienced the power of mezcal. Much like the rest of our portfolio, it truly is a ‘taste of place’ and celebration of our rich history. It embodies where we’ve been and where we’re going.” You’d expect the surrounding terroir of luscious fields, fruit trees and rose bushes to feature heavily in this mezcal, and you’d be right. However, those influences are joined by another set of all-together unique flavors which I’d never quite experienced before.At its most basic, mezcal is an agave distillate,” explains Ivy Mix, co-owner of Brooklyn’s Leyenda and author of Spirits of Latin America, “But it is not just smoky tequila.” Tequila is technically a mezcal, but it is only produced in Jalisco and three surrounding states using at least 51 percent blue agave. Mezcal is made from an array of different agaves in 13 different Mexican states. Most Americans know the mezcal of Oaxaca, where Espadín agave is roasted in a hole in the ground to prepare it for distilling, resulting in a smoky spirit. “But that’s just one of many different types of mezcal,” says Mix. “It’s like not all scotch is peaty Laphroig.” If you prefer a chilled drink, I recommend using large ice cubes to avoid excessive dilution. Artwork In the beginning, and for a long time, Del Maguey was a very small operation,” Éva Pelczer, the global education manager for Pernod Ricard, says. “The idea [of Del Maguey] is to bring this liquid art form, this 400-year-old culture, to a global audience completely intact.” Many of us understand spirits brands as creating one liquid that goes through different permutations – in the case of tequila, typically the “three amigos” of Blanco, Reposado and Añejo.

The leaves of the maguey are removed to reveal the heart of the plant. This is then roasted for 3 to 5 days in a conical pit over hot stones that are covered with maguey fibre and earth. On the nose, I get super light smoke with notes of dried sage, mint, and basil, kind of like the feeling you’d get when walking into a botánica. On the palate, it’s like, ‘Hello, pyrazines!’ All kinds of roasted green veggie notes. Think bell pepper, asparagus, poblano peppers, and a really pretty sprinkle of florals and white pepper — a little more delicate while still offering an interestingly creamy body.” The iconic green bottle and distinctive artwork — all done by the late artist Ken Price, a close friend of the founder — never fail to draw a guest’s eye, according to Stanley. Besides the eye-catching bottle, he appreciates Del Maguey’s vast amount of expressions. “It has so many options for novice mezcal drinkers or big agave heads who want to dig into some rare agaves,” he says. That conversation could help demystify mezcal, casting aside its more daunting attributes. “The smoke that most people automatically associate with the category can be scary and off-putting. It was also to me at the beginning of my education,” Aredes says. When it comes to VIDA Puebla, Aredes commends its flavor profile.If we were going to make a 40 percent ABV mezcal, it was going to be the best 40 percent ABV mezcal out there,” Pelczer says. For Del Maguey, that means artisanal production, wild fermentation, and copper pot still distillation, among other things. “With VIDA Puebla, we’re incorporating the production style of San Luis del Rio and bringing it to a facility that’s able to scale the volume of production into the future. With this setup, VIDA Puebla gives us the opportunity to build a key bridge to the new-to-mezcal consumer,” Pelczer says. Why Bartenders Love Del Maguey This mezcal’s makers, Rogelio Martinez Cruz and his family, live in the mountain town of Santa Maria Albarradas (hence this mezcal’s subtitle, ‘The Wild Mountain Maguey.”) The fruit forward, easy sipping Del Maguey Vida is an approachable introduction to the spirit. Wall Street Journal Del Maguey is crafted in various small distilleries scattered throughout the Mexican state of Oaxaca. Swanson agrees, adding, “Mezcal is one of the most labor-intensive exports out there, and is culturally and historically the most significant product coming out of Mexico. It should be consumed with the appropriate respect for what goes into it,” she says, summarizing: “Buy small, buy private, do your homework.”