Palmilla
As the song goes, "names make all the difference in the world" and that is manifestly true in Mexican distilling where everything has a name and a name that frequently changes depending on where you're distilling and who's doing the
MILPA AC and its case for biodiversity to save mezcal
The future of mezcal depends on the preservation of biodiversity. If we want to keep mezcal flowing, we might have to switch to a seasonal consumption that values quality over quantity. The growing popularity of mezcal in the world has created
Ventura’s agave spirits revolution
Distance learning in the agave spirits world. Ventura Spirits is the third Californian distiller that I know of to experiment with agave spirits. Their process and experience say as much about CA and the US as it does about the expanding
An “Ode to Odd Agave”
Serendipity and poetry go hand in hand so it's no surprise that my recent post on Mary Ruefle's mention of agave in one of her poems means that another, much more botanically correct, poem devoted to agave has come to
Variety Spotlight: Verde Durangensis
I became fascinated with this variety after tasting a few mezcals made from it and falling in love with most of them. Rich, complex, and satisfying, they have all been in line with the characteristics I’ve come to love and
Agave poetry
We all know that agaves are truly inspirational plants. They live in dramatic arcs, not surprising given agaves' tragic origen love story of Mayahuel and Quetzalcoatl, so why there isn't more poetry written about them? I recently happened upon a
Tres Colibrí Cooperative and small production mezcal
With the pandemic halting tourism and hospitality sales, many mezcalero/as are struggling. Maestra Sósima Olvera Aguilar had to move out of her bodega in Oaxaca city, and on top of that, while moving her truck was stolen. This vehicle was
Churique
Churique is the local name for Agave shrevei in Chihuahua. Ricardo Pico, who created Clande Sotol and works closely in the area, told me that "the mezcal made from Churique is called Lechugilla" which translates to "a small head of
A virtual program platform for the times – Conversations in Agave
What happens when the world is forced to shut down and all of the usual gathering places and events to learn about agave spirits are shuttered? Well, we get creative and put together an online program platform of interactive talks
Milpa
La milpa is a traditional Mexican agricultural practice. Traditionally the major crops were beans, corn, tomatoes, peppers, and squash but can include many other local permaculture or perennial crops like agave, avocado, sugar cane, or potatoes. Each crop would either