The 2020 business story of Mezcal: the retail market
First the obvious, 2020 created unprecedented challenges for the world of mezcal. If you had asked anyone in January or February of 2020 what the sales projections were for the year, “stellar” would have been the one word to describe
The year that was – a collection of thoughts
How do we begin to tackle the subject of 2020 and the toll it has taken on all of us in the mezcal industry? While the holiday season is normally a time for reflection, this year presents us with
Is RTD having its mezcal moment?
Given the year it has been, it is no surprise that the Ready-to-Drink (RTD) market has continued its exponential growth. In fact, it is the only category forecast to grow by both volume and sales according to industry research group
There’s a new gin in town
As we've said before, one of the unintended consequences of the mezcal industry's explosion is that it opens doors for other Mexican craft spirits including liqueurs, amaros, rums and whiskeys. Last year we were pleased to add gin to the
A Mezcal Holiday Gift Guide
Welcome to the Mezcalistas 2020 Gift Guide. Yes, yes, we know that this is a consumerist free-for-all, that the true meaning of the holidays has been hopelessly perverted, and that one of us (Max) has opted out of the whole
Building a home mezcal bar
We're eight months into the COVID-19 pandemic so we thought better late than never to create a what you need to know and do when setting up your home mezcal bar. With winter coming, and no end in sight for
A Dia de los Muertos Mezcal dinner for 2020
We have lost so much in 2020 that turning our heads to a Dia de los Muertos celebration feels simultaneously perfect and impossible. We are just at the beginning of our grief and trying to even wrap our heads around
The taxing of Mezcal – are changes afoot?
You've probably heard it mentioned before that taxes on mezcal are very high but in Mexico, they're astronomical. There are two different taxes levied on alcohol, the Impuesto Especial en Productos y Servicios or IEPS, puts a 53% tax on
What goes into winning a cocktail contest?
In the run up to Mezcal Week we had the great pleasure of partnering with Sombra Mezcal and The Mezcal Institute in launching the Sombra Mezcal Cocktail Contest Home Edition. The focus of the contest was on working with ingredients
A mezcal dinner in the age of Covid-19
Organizing an event after a six month break, especially in the midst of a pandemic, is not like riding a bike again. Learning - and then complying with - all the city, county, and state regulations for outdoor dining requires