More on the origin of Minero

A reader named Mark Huebner wrote in with a further note about the origin of the term Minero which we originally wrote about here. His source is a 1997 book published by the Universidad Jose Vasconselos de Oaxaca, Codice Ediciones, “Mezcal: Origin, Elaboration and Recipes” by Jorge Quiroz Marquez.” We obviously need to dig up a copy but in the interim here’s the pertinent quote:

“Minero, a colorless mezcal with agreeable flavor, is produced in Santa Caterina Minas, Ocotlan.  Its name and fame may stem from the fact that only miners in the past, who were well paid, could afford to buy it.”

Special thanks to Mark for the quote. He told me “I always felt the Minero notion was old wives’ tale territory but like much Mexi-lore, there was a ring of truth to it. Makes more sense than researching the Mesopotamian source of the god Minas in Afghanistan, right? (But that god was all about the mushroom, not maguey.)” Right you are Mark!