Celebrante is a first generation Durango mezcal made by the brothers Diego and Javier Mayagoitia and their father Francisco Javie. In 2020, the family established a vinata in Nombre De Dios, Durango. The brothers were mentored by local maestro mezcaleros, particularly Luis Colon.
Celebrante Mezcal emphasizes sustainability–both ecological and economic. In addition to making mezcal, Diego Mayagoitia is an academic; his thesis focused on how wild agaves cohabitate and interact with other native plant species. Studying how these companion plants function as an interconnected ecosystem has informed the brand’s focus on sustainability, and Diego shares his findings with the local mezcal community, encouraging reforestation and other practices for protecting Durango’s wild agave populations.
Despite being so new, Celebrante already offers diverse expressions. Their star is cenizo, but they also make a very good verde (salmiana crassispina), and they’ve been experimenting with sotol, as well as local fruit and herbs.