(This is the last week to register your public comments about NOM 199. You can read all of our coverage here but we have also asked for comment from a few people in the mezcal world. Here’s the first in a series from John McEvoy who blogs as Mezcal PhD.)
I am not sure if you have heard what certain power brokers are trying to pull off in Mexico, but it is an affront to the deep tradition of mezcal and all it stands for historically.
There is a blasphemous proposal, called NOM 199, where they are effectively trying to eliminate the use of the term “agave” for spirits that are produced outside the mezcal and tequila DOs. Today, these traditional producers outside of the denomination of origin regions, can call their product “Destilado de Agave”, and can tell us what type of agave was used and label it accordingly. This is not perfect for the producers because they cannot call it mezcal, but at least they can tell us what is in the bottle.
NOM 199 eliminates their ability to use the term “agave” and they have to call this spirit “Komil”. What is komil? Well, no one really knows. It makes no sense and consumers will have no idea what is in the bottle.
You can read more about it here on my blog post from last month.
Please SIGN THE PETITION.
In addition, the Tequila Interchange Project (TIP), recently posted another summary and petition as we are in the home stretch of the comment period to defeat this proposal. Comments are due by April 29!! You can find the new TIP position here.
If you care about mezcal and its honored tradition, please sign and make your voice heard!!
John McEvoy aka the Mezcal PhD.
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