We Ask Beatriz Munozcano, US Agaves Model Director, Pernod Ricard USA, about pivotal moments that form the mezcal class at the moment with Del Maguey Mezcal paving the way in which.
From pioneering Single Village expressions to creating bartender-friendly classics like Vida Clasico, Del Maguey has redefined what it means to honor custom.
Two key milestones stand out within the historical past of Del Maguey and within the evolution of the mezcal class. Inform us about them.
The primary was in 1995, when Del Maguey grew to become the primary to legally import artisanal mezcal into the USA. The preliminary cargo included simply 56 bottles, sourced from the villages of San Baltazar Chichicapam and San Luis del Río. Every bottle was labeled with the identify of the village and produced utilizing conventional strategies with out components or industrial processes. At a time when mezcal was broadly misunderstood and infrequently lowered to stereotypes just like the worm within the bottle, Del Maguey launched a brand new normal: this was, as some name it, the mezcal renaissance within the U.S., making a marketplace for top-quality, artisanal mezcal the place none had existed. It established the idea of Single Village Mezcal, giving visibility to producers and putting origin and craftsmanship on the middle of the story.
The second milestone was the event and launch of Vida Clásico, launched to satisfy the wants of the rising bartender and cocktail neighborhood. Produced by Paciano Cruz Nolasco in San Luis del Río, Vida was created utilizing the identical conventional methods as Del Maguey’s different mezcals, however with a taste profile suited to mixing. Vida made genuine mezcal accessible for cocktail packages with out compromising high quality and shortly grew to become a staple within the craft cocktail motion, serving to mezcal achieve traction on again bars all over the world and positioning Del Maguey as a frontrunner within the class’s growth.
These two moments, the primary authorized import of village-specific artisanal mezcal and the creation of a bartender-friendly expression that maintained integrity, outlined Del Maguey’s legacy and adjusted the trajectory of mezcal globally.
How has the notion of mezcal developed since Del Maguey was based?
Earlier than Del Maguey, mezcal was misunderstood. Del Maguey launched one thing fully totally different. It introduced true artisanal mezcal to the forefront; made with integrity, rooted in place, and linked to households and communities. It modified the dialog. Mezcal grew to become one thing to respect, one thing to discover, one thing price understanding. As we speak, it’s thought of one of the crucial advanced and culturally wealthy spirits on the earth. That shift started the second Del Maguey confirmed what mezcal actually is.
How has the model influenced that shift?
Del Maguey created the muse for the way folks discuss and expertise mezcal at the moment. It launched the thought of Single Village, listed the identify of the mezcalero, revered the unique strategies, and refused to industrialize the product. Del Maguey didn’t attempt to make mezcal simpler; it made it clearer. The model gave the class a construction and a language that others now comply with. Its impression is all over the place, from how bottles are labeled to how bartenders clarify the spirit. Del Maguey didn’t simply take part in mezcal’s progress; it constructed the highway for it.
Del Maguey was one of many first to highlight single-village mezcals. Why was that so vital and the way is it nonetheless related?
As a result of mezcal will not be a uniform spirit. Every mezcal is formed by its village, its water, its altitude, the agave, the instruments, and the folks. Del Maguey made that seen. It handled each expression like a snapshot of a spot and gave credit score to the producers who formed it. That stage of transparency was extraordinary on the time, and it’s nonetheless important now. As mezcal turns into extra world, the relevance of Single Village solely grows. It retains the spirit trustworthy. It reminds the world that this isn’t a mass product. It’s handmade, site-specific, and deeply private.
What challenges has Del Maguey confronted in staying true to conventional manufacturing whereas rising globally?
The most important problem is defending the method whereas responding to rising demand. Mezcal takes time. It relies on sluggish strategies and pure rhythms. Del Maguey has made progress selections fastidiously, all the time in partnership with the communities. Whether or not constructing a brand new palenque with a long-time mezcalero or increasing agave replanting efforts, the model has chosen paths that maintain custom intact. Which means saying “no” to shortcuts. It means turning down quantity when high quality or sustainability is in danger. It’s not the simplest strategy to develop, however it’s the solely strategy to develop with integrity.
What’s the tradition of the model at Del Maguey?
The tradition is constructed on long-standing relationships and mutual respect. From the very starting, Del Maguey partnered instantly with conventional mezcal-producing households in Oaxaca, and those self same households stay on the coronary heart of the model at the moment. A number of generations are actually concerned, carrying ahead the identical strategies, values, and deep connection to position.
Even Vida Clásico, Del Maguey’s most generally offered expression globally, continues to be made precisely because it started. It’s produced by the Nolasco household in San Luis del Río, utilizing the identical palenques, the identical terroir, and the identical conventional strategies. That continuity is uncommon, particularly at scale. There is no such thing as a mixing. No outsourcing. No shortcuts. As a result of it comes from the identical fingers and the identical land, the mezcal doesn’t must be standardized. It’s constant as a result of the method and the folks have by no means modified. That could be a direct results of the model’s dedication to partnership and integrity, and it displays a deeper fact — that sustainability isn’t just concerning the surroundings. It’s about relationships, belief, and the long-term safety of tradition.
Del Maguey doesn’t deal with mezcal as a product to optimize; it sees it as a dwelling custom to guard. That philosophy shapes each resolution, and it’s felt in each bottle.
What surprises you most about how bartenders have embraced mezcal?
The depth of dedication. Bartenders haven’t solely made mezcal a part of their packages, however they’ve additionally taken the time to be taught the place it comes from. Many have traveled to Oaxaca, walked into palenques, and met the households behind the spirit. They share the story with care and with power. They’ve turn into a number of the most vital advocates for mezcal globally. What began as curiosity has was real connection. The extent of respect and keenness from the bar neighborhood has been one of the crucial highly effective forces in mezcal’s rise.
What do you hope folks perceive concerning the model once they sip Del Maguey at the moment?
That that is greater than a spirit. It’s a story of place and folks. Each bottle comes from an actual village, from an actual producer, from a course of handed down by way of generations. The smoke, the feel, the steadiness, none of it’s manufactured. It comes from time, labor, and intention. Even the extra accessible expressions carry that very same care. Mezcal will not be one thing to hurry or dilute. It’s one thing to respect. Del Maguey desires each sip to remind folks of that.
Looking forward to the subsequent 30 years, what’s the imaginative and prescient for the model?
Del Maguey will proceed to guide with function. That is the model that launched mezcal to the world as an artisanal, village-based spirit made by actual folks with actual historical past. That basis stays the core. However wanting ahead, the chance isn’t just to guard that story, however to develop how folks have interaction with it.
Cocktails are actually one of the crucial vital methods folks uncover mezcal. Drinks like Mezcal Margaritas and Oaxaca Outdated Fashioneds are introducing a brand new technology to the class. Del Maguey celebrates that. When completed with care and intention, cocktails turn into a gateway to deeper information, serving to folks fall in love with the complexity and great thing about mezcal. The secret is ensuring what goes into the glass nonetheless honors the place it comes from.
Del Maguey believes that even probably the most broadly poured expressions ought to mirror actual craft. Vida Clásico, for instance, is made by the identical household, in the identical village, utilizing the identical strategies because it was created. That stage of integrity must be the usual. Mezcal can scale, but it surely should achieve this with its values intact.
The imaginative and prescient is obvious. Develop the class with out watering it down. Hold mezcal rooted in its communities. Champion schooling, transparency, and partnership. And proceed to point out the world that even in a cocktail, mezcal isn’t just an ingredient. It’s a cultural expression. It’s liquid gold.
Vida Rita
Elements
- 2 components Del Maguey VIDA Clásico or VIDA Puebla
- 3/4 components Lime Juice
- 3/4 components Agave Syrup
- 1 Giant Orange Twist
Preparation
- Shake Elements and pressure right into a rocks glass filled with recent ice with Tajín salt rim.
Mezcal Carajillo
Elements
- 1 ½ components Del Maguey VIDA Clásico or VIDA Puebla
- 1 half Vanilla Liqueur
- 2 components espresso
Preparation
- Construct in shaking tin.
- Ice.
- Shake pressure over recent ice.
- Garnish with mint.
Mezcal Outdated Original
Elements
- 2 components VIDA Clásico or Puebla
- ¼ components Agave Syrup
- 2 dashes Angostura Bitters
- 1 sprint Mole Bitters
Preparation
- Add all substances right into a glass with massive cubed ice.
- Stir.
- Spritz and garnish with lemon and orange twists.
