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
Conversations in Agave – June links
June might go down on record as the fastest month ever, though when we think of how the month began and where we are today, it feels like a lifetime. In the midst of all of the turmoil of the
Spirited women
Just back from the San Antonio Cocktail Conferences (my recap is here) where I was able to attend some terrific seminars helmed by a few leaders in the industry, who happen to be women. I say it like that because I am becoming increasingly uncomfortable with how marginalizing it feels to use the phrasing female bartenders, female distillers, female brand ambassadors, etc when really, we have been here all along. The rest of the world is just waking up to that. By putting female, or woman before laymen's terms, it continues to make us more of a novelty or side bar, rather than the truth of the matter - we are fully integrated in this business, as marketers, as writers, as owners and as consumers.
A Del Maguey journey
Ilegal Mezcal launches the “Why and How Tour”
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[/media-credit] At the Mal de Amor palenque in Matatlan – words by Lila Downs.[/caption]
Following on Del Maguey's 2017 sustainability tour, Ilegal Mezcal builds on that groundwork with a tour that directly addresses a lot of concerns people have about how brands are ramping up production to meet demand. This is a great move for transparency into their process.
Del Maguey launches sustainability training seminar
Misty Kalkofen, Del Maguey's Madrina (godmother) is a big ball of energy when it comes to her passion project - mezcal and sustainability. If you haven't already checked out the sustainability blog at the Del Maguey website, you should. It is highly significant that the brand that pretty much launched the mezcal category as we know it today has a dedicated space on their website discussing issues impacting the mezcal industry-- this is a real issue that the category as a whole must address.