Mezcalistas

06/14/2025

From our newsletter this week which was all about immigration and agave spirits...

Spend a few hours in a palenque (or vinata or taberna) talking to mezcaleros and other folks working there and inevitably the conversation will turn to an immigration story.

I (Susan) learned this back before Mezcalistas was born, talking to the producer of one of the most sought out mezcal brands at that time. He told me about living in LA, working jobs at Burger King and a hospital mopping floors. I asked him if people ever knew he was a master distiller and he told me no, that for the most part he was invisible.

Another mezcalero told me he had to leave home at 14 because his father had left and his mother could not take care of all of the kids. He traveled all by himself to the border, sleeping where he could and trying to cross several times before giving up and returning home, ashamed he had failed his family.

Another told me he worked road construction in the midwest, and what it was like to do emergency work in the middle of winter. He returned to Mexico when the work dried up and began working in a vinata. I asked him what was harder work, construction or making mezcal and he said, “I made more money in construction.”

So many immigrant stories if you choose to listen.

The below four organizations are fighting for the rights of immigrants - please consider supporting their efforts.

➡ - AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION
➡ - NATIONAL IMMIGRATION LAW CENTER
➡ NATIONAL IMMIGRANT JUSTICE CENTER
➡ IMMIGRANT LEGAL RESOURCE CENTER

And if you want to know what is happening in LA, follow which has been on the ground covering the ICE raids, protests and more.

**Note - this is not an invitation to engage in a debate about immigration policy in our comments section.

06/11/2025

In Chicago, it is a well known fact that if you are looking for a bottle of tequila or mezcal, your first stop is likely going to be in the Little Village neighborhood. Opened in 1977, it is one of those legacy businesses that is impossible to imagine life without it.

Mike Moreno could have rested on his family's laurels, but instead has continued to grow that legacy with a series of projects that include and an import business. He has been recognized for two consecutive years as one of the top 100 CEOs in Chicago by Titan100. As a young leader in the industry, he is cultivating respect and appreciation for the time, effort, skill, and people behind the agave spirits that we all enjoy.

Contributor had a chance to talk to as part of our ongoing series In their own words and learned what makes him tick and what he is excited about right now.

For the full interview see our link in bio to featured story or here: https://www.mezcalistas.com/who-is-mike-moreno/

📷 Pictured above is Mike Moreno (right) with Mezcalero Carlos Angulos Ruiz who produces Chacoleño for

06/10/2025

An interesting piece about the spirits market in South Africa, specifically regarding the growth of the domestic agave spirits market.

“There’s growing pride in ‘made in Africa’ products, with local provenance, local ingredients, and heritage-driven narratives gaining traction. African craft spirits are now competing on quality rather than just price, creating a consumer shift from purely imported luxury spirits to homegrown premium brands.” said Damola Timeyin, founder of Sango, an African spirit made from African Agave Americana from the Karoo desert and Salmiana agave from South Africa’s Eastern Cape province.

While international brands are counting on South Africa to be a vibrant market, competitive local producers are also stepping up.

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...