Del Maguey Vida De San Luis Del Rio Mezcal, 70 cl

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In contrast, Del Maguey highlights dozens of one-of-a-kind, age-old traditions, ones cultivated by generations of families in small villages across Mexico. I’m J Highland, and for over 30 years, I’ve been deeply immersed in the captivating world of Tequila, Mezcal, and other agave spirits. Pelczer says that Del Maguey isn’t looking to expand anytime soon, but is always willing to make new connections within the community and see where it takes them. 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. Every label is unique, showcasing a distinct story carefully crafted by the distiller. How to pronounce Del Maguey?

You can swap in mezcal in any tequila-based drink, including Margaritas, but given its rich, intense character, it’s also a good substitute for scotch or whiskey in classics like the Old Fashioned. But it’s wonderful sipped neat in a traditional manner, followed by an orange slice dipped in sal de gusano, a salt blended with chiles and insect larva. In fact, Del Maguey’s founder Ron Cooper is a visual artist whose work has been featured in the Guggenheim and the Whitney Museums. Cooper first ventured to Oaxaca in the 1970s to learn about the state’s renowned glass blowing and ceramics methods. Little did he know, he’d stumble upon something else entirely.

Del Maguey Vida

Mezcal is made by roasting the sweet hearts of the agave plant in an earthen pit, then crushing and fermenting them to yield a sweet mash that is distilled in copper alembic stills. The word Mezcal comes from Metl or Mexcalmetl, the prehispanic Nahuatl language, meaning Agave. Today the commonly used word for Agave in Oaxaca is Maguey (pronounced ma-gay).

Del Maguey is crafted in various small distilleries scattered throughout the Mexican state of Oaxaca. The Los Angeles times dubbed Ron Cooper as “the architect of mezcal’s resurrection” for single-handedly revitalising this Mexican spirit.

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Many of these villages are known for ceramic work, textile weaving and natural dyes,” says Pelczer. “Mezcal is one of those artisanal products. So you’ll begin to see this phrase, ‘liquid art.'” 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. By far the most recommended brand of the bunch, Banhez Joven is what’s known as an ensamble—a mixture of agave varieties, in this case 90 percent espadín and 10 percent barril agaves—made by the Unión Productores de Agropecuarios del Distrito de Ejutla de Crespo (UPADEC), a co-op of farmers and producers located in Ejutla, Oaxaca. “I love that Banhez is produced by a co-op of mezcaleros, so you know that every dollar spent on this mezcal directly benefits the community and hands that produce it,” says Salehi.