Mezcalistas

06/07/2025

Some context on what's happening in the $5 billion California alcohol market from Southern (distributor)

Southern Glazer’s has a leading position within the middle tier of the largest wine and spirits market in the U.S., with the wholesale giant’s California revenues at approximately $5 billion, according to Shanken’s Impact Newsletter. SND executive editor Daniel Marsteller … Continue reading ...

06/06/2025

Finally had a chance to check out the new Blue Rabbit Mezcaleria located in San Pablo, California and was not disappointed. First thing to note is it is a totally unassuming place, located in the corner of a strip mall (parking!). Window covers swing out, providing plenty of fresh air and light. Inside is totally simple, concrete floor, white walls and white industrial ceiling, some tables and chairs and a bar. The focus of this space is entirely on the back wall; agave spirit upon agave spirit, along with a great selection of Mexican liqueurs, gins and more. It is a beautiful sight indeed.

In addition to the great pours, the cocktail program is spot on - pictured here is an Ultima Palabra tasted side by side with a traditional Last Word using gin. They also have an eclectic food menu that is part Mexican/part Asian. The tomatillo soup with shrimp hit the spot! The truth is Blue Rabbit is the kind of place we could sip on mezcal (and more) for hours and hours - so run, don't walk to check it out!

is part of a bar group that also includes and . All are terrific and honestly, with each place, they hit it out of the ballpark with originality, hospitality and super great vibes.

06/05/2025

had a chance to play around with the soon to launch in the US Cafe de Olla from . As part of our ongoing series of What to pair with ... she put together this simple cocktail that's a perfect pairing for a summer brunch. As always, there is reason to her pairings which Tess outlines in the story.

"Brunch drinks need to be versatile in order to compliment a wide variety of flavors. They also ought to be refreshing and satisfying, without too much alcohol, because brunch is a lingering meal, where people are likely to indulge in more than one drink. This highball hits all the marks, with rich coffee flavor, spiced earthiness for complexity, and a light and bubbly texture that keeps everything fresh."

Read the full piece, including the recipe, link in bio to What to pair with mezcal or here: https://www.mezcalistas.com/paranubes-cafe-de-olla-cocktail/

06/04/2025

While agave spirits sales in the US have been relatively flat over the past two years, there are more than a few places in the world where sales have been growing and the future trajectory is fairly bright. One of those markets? The United Kingdom.

Contributor Anna Bruce reports on how the agave scene is spreading beyond London, the most popular tequila and mezcal brands in the UK, the rise of the mezcal margarita, and more, like an agave bar in Edinburgh...

For the full piece, check link in bio to blog or here: https://www.mezcalistas.com/tequila-and-mezcal-gaining-a-strong-foothold-in-the-uk/

📷 by .photos

06/03/2025

Ever wondered why some mezcal tastes like acetone or burnt rubber? In this opinion piece, Contributor Read Spear explains why we shouldn't give a pass to flawed agave spirits and then breaks down specific flaws in mezcal flavor profiles and what they indicate.

It's a great piece that pulls no punches on why it is so important to identify flaws and to be honest with a producer, "To excuse faults is condescending. The people who make these spirits work harder than anyone in the room—ten times harder, from the neck down. They don’t need softened critiques. They deserve honesty and respect from people with trained palates."

Read the full piece, link in bio to blog, or here: https://www.mezcalistas.com/what-mezcal-flavor-profiles-indicate/

📷 by

06/02/2025

Well this is kind of crazy, US' 2nd largest distributor exiting CA market...

Not even halfway into 2025, Republic National Distributing Company (RNDC) has hemorrhaged key supplier accounts in markets across the country, and especially in California. Now, VinePair has learned, the country’s second-largest wine-and-spirits distributor will be departing the Golden State entir...

05/30/2025

Happy Friday!

In case you missed the first Anthropology of Agave and Mezcal workshop, do not fret! of .bio is offering a second workshop in English. If you are looking for a class that dives into a broad range of topics, sometimes uncomfortable ones, about agave culture and our perspectives, this is a class for you. The reading list is reason alone to join the class!

For more details reach out to .bio or see the link here: https://www.expresiones.bio/workshop-agave-studies

05/28/2025

Graciela Ángeles Carreño of wears many hats as head of her family's mezcal business and as a long time advocate for rural development, sustainability and women. She now adds author with her new book Mexcalli.

Says contributor Joahna Hernandez in her review of Mexcalli, "Mexcalli is not your standard spirits guide. It is a book that doesn’t chase trends but instead, it traces roots. With a voice that blends lived experience and academic insight, Graciela gives readers an honest, reflective, and at times critical view of what it means to produce agave spirits in Mexico today. This is the story of mezcal and other agave spirits told from the inside out."

The book dives deep into hot topics today and provides a detail of agave spirits production that goes well beyond the usual how it is done to specifically why things are done the way they are.

Be sure to check out 's terrific review of Mexcalli - link in bio to blog or here: https://www.mezcalistas.com/mexcalli/

05/26/2025

Very interesting-- there is a lot to unpack in this story.

Investigadores del Instituto Tecnológico de Durango (ITD) trabajan en el desarrollo de una levadura nativa del estado que ha demostrado la capacidad de triplicar la producción de mezcal sin alterar su sabor ni sus características tradicionales.El proyecto, encabezado por el investigador Óscar So...

05/22/2025

For a while now, there have been whispers and allegations about the illegal use of cane sugar and distillates in tequila (and mezcal) production. There now is a way for lab analysis to distinguish between agave and cane sugars, and that test is at the heart of the recent class action lawsuit against Diageo.

But how exactly does that analysis work and what does it signify? It all starts with how a plants process carbon and the "chemical signature" that leaves behind in the tissue. Today, at a laboratory level, it is possible to analyze the “chemical footprint” left by the photosynthesis process, using a tool called isotopic analysis.

We tasked contributing writer Omar Muñoz () to dive into the science and help explain just how the analysis works, who is doing it and what the potential implications are.

To read the complete story, see link in bio to blog, or here: https://www.mezcalistas.com/tequila-lawsuit-lab-tests/

05/21/2025

When Alberto Ochoa decided to develop a brand of mezcal he took inspiration from his Chicano roots and the community he was raised in. Then he found the perfect partner in 4th generation mezcalero Jorge Mendez Cortes and together they created .

Firme comes from Chicano slang, but has a slightly different meaning in Spanish. Alberto explains,”In Spanish, this literally translates to firm or well-made. However, if you take the same word into the US, it has a completely different meaning: closer to “badass/ trustworthy.”

Contributor Anna Bruce had the chance to spend a day with the two of them at the palenque in Santiago Matatlan. Oaxaca and has this terrific profile that delves into both Alberto and Jorge's stories and how the brand came to be a true bi-national collaboration.

Photos by .photos
Photo 1: Alberto (left) and Jorge (right)
Photo 2: Mezcal perlas
Photo 3: Tepeztate bottle label, the newest expression in the brand line up.

Link in bio to featured story or here: https://www.mezcalistas.com/firme-mezcal/

05/20/2025

Happy Mezcal Monday - it's time for a new Mezcal Encyclopedia post!

We've heard the phrase "it takes a village" and in Mexico there is a word for that - Tequio which signifies a form of a collective work or service within a community. It is derived from the Nahuatl root word tequitl that means work or tribute. The works are of benefit to the community; they are unpaid and considered part of your public service to your community.

The photos shown here are from the community of Logoche in Oaxaca. Photo 1 is of the tequio work board where people can track their hours as they work on a Sembrando Vida project. Photo 2 is of a tapada, or agave roast, in the community. Photos courtesy of Max Rosenstock at

Read more about this word, it's origins and how it is practiced, link in bio to Encyclopedia of Mezcal or here: https://www.mezcalistas.com/tequio/