September 13th: Leaving Oaxaca with mezcal, and heading north? Not sure about shipping or flying, and concerned about what happens at customs? Here are answers to those questions and more, based on three decades of experience leaving Oaxaca with agave distillates: http://tequilaaficionado.com/2021/09/13/bringing-mezcal-from-oaxaca-home/
September 4th: Palenqueros in San Bernardo Mixtepec and San Juan del Río who are very different from the rest in their respective villages, innovating in their methods of making mezcal: https://www.mezcalreviews.com/two-oaxacan-mezcal-distillers-who-think-outside-the-box/
June 30: Alvin's new book is available on Amazon, all profits benefiting worthy Oaxacan causes: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0987R14QN?ref_=pe_3052080_397514860
May 30: For those who don't know what mezcal to purchase in the US, you might want to consider these. But query why these nine are being promoted and not some of the plethora of other agave distillates being introduced to the American market on a monthly or more frequent basis: https://www.liquor.com/new-mezcals-5086443?utm_campaign=liquor_consumer&utm_medium=email&utm_source=cn_nl&utm_content=23994467&utm_term=
May 22: Article centering upon a family of mezcal distillers, good friends of mine, including the tragic covid death of Juan, and daughter Lidia taking over the reins of the business: https://mexiconewsdaily.com/mexicolife/mezcal-maker-fights-prejudices-to-continue-fathers-distillery/?fbclid=IwAR3fFSzo08m5__8Ra22UP20A2x0F1fTYm6fYpdVHGg-Gapxu9T-yIBAFEHI
May 20: We can and must all combat allegations of cultural appropriation in the agave distillate (mezcal) industry, and the options to do so are easy and effective: http://tequilaaficionado.com/2021/05/20/striking-a-balance-mezcal-brand-owners-can-avoid-exploitation-allegations/
May 8: This brand of tequila is endeavoring to take a page from the recent mezcal movement towards sustainability and maintaining tradition: https://mexiconewsdaily.com/mexicolife/distillerys-tequila-methods-traditional-yet-also-innovative-sustainable/
April 18: This is what happens when a distiller of Oaxacan ancestral mezcal is not constrained by family tradition: http://tequilaaficionado.com/2021/04/18/oaxacan-palenquera-rosario-angeles/
April 16: Mezcalreviews.com was kind enough to publish my article about mezcal ensambles (also knows as mezclas): https://www.mezcalreviews.com/mezcal-ensambles-mezclas-blends-the-wherefore-the-why/
April 10: Competing with mezcal and tequila? New Zealand sets its sights using Agave tequilana Weber, though the ultimate character will necessarily be different: https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/countrylife/audio/2018790915/spirits-are-up-for-maker-of-nz-s-first-tequila
March 16: Mezcal Rambhá, owned by good friend Rosario Ángeles is featured in this article about touring Oaxaca's mezcal distilleries / palenques: https://mexiconewsdaily.com/mexicolife/oaxaca-palenques-mezcal-distilleries/
March 15: The methanol in mezcal will not hurt you, even if the spirit is not "certified." https://www.aventurerosmezcal.mx/uncategorized/methanol-can-cause-blindness-is-it-present-in-mezcal/?fbclid=IwAR3KcMCxp1YkRz57QwylwtRZ3ytu2Z6X6p8dMU6E2cR7mz94qcmjeuGKIYY
January 2: Agave and Sustainability article: https://www.salon.com/2021/01/01/the-sustainability-challenges-that-threaten-the-agave-industry_partner/?fbclid=IwAR0hazpLp-UNNEc4tX4LuRz7ou0QD6GT29_Fr7IdSo9d-2LAYXECpsWUNmU
2020 December 16: Forbes weighs into the fray with 13 mezcal cocktails which they say are really easy to make: https://www.forbes.com/sites/karlaalindahao/2020/12/14/easy-cocktail-recipes-mezcal-cocktails-2020/?sh=577946113094
December 15: Even Better Homes & Gardens is getting in on the mezcal action with this primer: https://www.bhg.com/recipes/trends/what-is-mezcal/?fbclid=IwAR2HDo1KSglwd224hMrj_ntG6a9oOX09HkHJM24Op1RzNhLbPRO97_fpm9o
December 1: There are some familiar, and some new names for both mezcal aficionados and notices to try, recently having entered the US market, as liquor.com comments: https://www.liquor.com/new-mezcals-5086443
July 17: Pulque, present and in historical context, in Mexico News Daily: https://mexiconewsdaily.com/mexicolife/pulque-is-a-pre-hispanic-drink-with-nutritional-qualities/
July 8: A lesson in science about mezcal, ABV and the bubbles or perlas: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/07/200707160149.htm?fbclid=IwAR3_MIOgdzEKQNk9n2BlrqYI3weL5x6TAj6v9RuXU0w5AftwEtP26ApO8BA
July 7: While there is doom and gloom on the horizon as this article suggests, there are indeed those doing their part to help small mezcal palenqueros over the 2020 COVID-19 hump: https://daily.sevenfifty.com/small-tequila-and-mezcal-producers-struggle-to-survive/?fbclid=IwAR34IdAWdNPwdvGl5eIT5sjKxt7__f_zyyNldpP24jTE9a_YV03vcUneNYs
July 4: Distilling agave in the US and further abroad: Impediments and other factors to consider when considering making mezcal outside of Mexico: https://ezinearticles.com/?Impediments-to-Making-Mexican-Mezcal-With-Your-Own-Agave&id=10316920
July 4: Mezcal makes a move in the Canadian marketplace: https://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/food-and-wine/article-agave-all-day-move-over-rose-tequila-is-the-drink-of-the-summer/?fbclid=IwAR0koFnLFQSarJIaFUEnVQHb1dn0Hk5T2wYE67X1b382vEwnKyHsQUWrz7U
June 13: Please! Know and trust your mezcal producer or vendor before buying any destilado de agave, especially in the wake of coronavirus. Be safe. https://mexiconewsdaily.com/news/adulterated-liquor-has-killed-189-people-since-may-1/
June 2: Learn how the mezcal boom has helped one family of weavers in Teotitlán del Valle, Oaxaca, and support their efforts: https://www.oaxacamezcaltours.com/mezcalarticles/category/mezcal-teotitlan-rugs
May 27: Article link with photo gallery about a Oaxacan woodcarver who has transitioned to pieces promoting agave and mezcal: https://www.oaxacamezcaltours.com/mezcalarticles/category/woodcarver-agave-motif
May 16: Talented Oaxacan artisans showcasing their work with mezcal and agave imagery, in this article (and you can contact me to order anything to support craftspeople during these difficult coronavirus times: http://tequilaaficionado.com/2020/05/16/mexican-craft-tradition-explodes-with-mezcal-agave-distillate-boom/
April 25: Support Oaxaca; visit with the whole family: http://tequilaaficionado.com/2020/04/25/oaxacan-mezcal-aficionados-embrace-a-visit-after-covid-19/
April 19: Dewars scotch finished in a mezcal barrel: https://www.marketwatch.com/story/a-boozy-marriage-made-in-heaven-scotch-and-mezcal-in-a-single-bottle-2020-04-17?fbclid=IwAR3KGUlyY37f8BNE59MYckxIYs9ZAX_yyZZ9YwLetEOw6U5x2ZK6KFd9Vxs
April 17: Forbes pipes in with recommendations for mezcal made by a friend, Lou Bank, though I take issue with some of the mezcales listed because (1) some are industrial or semi, and (2) others are supposedly made by the maker noted but in fact are not, and (3) some of the brand owners are simply not nice people. So just be careful, though by and large it is an admirable effort: https://www.forbes.com/sites/karlaalindahao/2020/04/17/best-mezcals-to-try-now-2020/?fbclid=IwAR1IJp7SxuuaiB9beZG1x4FEJJcWFr5qLWtuwmA5IEirSHuPRt6E3hxlJQA#297385ef3a3a
April 14: Mezcal, hand sanitizer, and biofuels; https://www.foodandwine.com/news/agave-hand-sanitizer-biofuel?fbclid=IwAR3wE89oV9-n4uLm10JfGOPCoF1-0AuczcN9u2aZgwBfe4c9Qqyo7k3_LoU
April 2: Mezcal and women: Women are indeed an important part of the process, aside from being brand owners and reps: https://ezinearticles.com/?Agave-Distillates-and-the-Women-Who-Make-Them:-Oaxacan-Mezcal-and-the-Female-of-the-Specie&id=10273414
March 17: Another mezcal brand set to enter Canada (and two more owned by Canadians are on the way): https://bartenderatlas.com/features/community/creating-a-mezcal-brand-a-chat-with-carmen-of-mezcal-agua-santa/
March 15: Maxim published this about mezcal earlier this month, pretty good except for one commenter's reflection: https://www.maxim.com/food-drink/mezcal-master-class-2020-3?fbclid=IwAR3WYI4zTmnaDEPDsJX9hCcOqWUIu1eNc7UlJKDTP73tvTFM9-5TstvgMVc
March 3: Harvesting aguamiel in Oaxaca for fermenting into pulque: https://www.oaxacamezcaltours.com/mezcalarticles/category/pulque-aguamiel-harvest-oaxaca
January 31: The most recent article about mezcal de pechuga: https://punchdrink.com/articles/problem-with-pechuga-mezcal/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_content=briefing&utm_campaign=sfc_drinkingwithesther
January 2: Did you know that these famous people own brands of tequila and mezcal, and some other alcoholic beverages (I assisted Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul with Dos Hombres): https://www.msn.com/en-us/foodanddrink/beverages/15-alcohol-brands-you-didnt-realize-were-owned-by-celebrities/ss-BBVXMXQ?li=BBnb7Kz&ocid=mailsignout
2019
December 30: What a nice way to usher in the New Year, with a series of recipes for making mezcal cocktails: https://mexiconewsdaily.com/mexicolife/mezcal-is-complex-and-surprising/
December 21: Here's someone's list of the seven best mezcalerías (mezcal bars) in Mexico's capital: https://bigseventravel.com/2019/12/best-mezcal-bars-in-mexico-city/?fbclid=IwAR2xt5edDiltzQnsvXDbm8-CDDTqYSjMBaNyr0ggkSoZUsP25viqprL-dvk
December 12: Financial Times weighs in on the mezcal boom with this five minute video: https://www.ft.com/video/72f87048-7c06-48cd-afc3-4786bf016b6b?fbclid=IwAR2Dq-snPMBAXqlPvjGSNLeZTyv2Wjg2-7cWDfz2hETQ52dr6PT5cHotGns
November 14: An opinion regarding the expert mezcalería and bar owners and staff and their refusal to serve or even acknowledge the positives of aged mezcal: https://ezinearticles.com/?Snobbism-and-Barrel-Aged-Mezcal:-How-the-Experts-Get-It-Wrong-in-Oaxaca-and-Globally&id=10206208
Novmeber 8: Of course taste is personal / subjective, but at least three of the mezcales listed here don't belong on anyone's best list, and I think most mezcal geeks/aficionados would surely agree: https://www.liquor.com/slideshows/best-mezcal-2019/?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=11.8TheBestMezcalatAnyPrice-UNPAID&utm_content=Final&utm_term=Liquor:TotalConsumer#gs.ffcxi7
July 25: Are some of the mezcal experts being too critical and dogmatic in their criticism of agave distillates and celebrity products such as Dos Hombres Mezcal, without considering the positives? http://tequilaaficionado.com/2019/07/25/dos-hombres-mezcal/
February 26: What would Moses think of the current state of the kosherness of mezcal and other agave distillates? http://tequilaaficionado.com/2019/02/26/kosher-mezcal/
February 24: Oaxacan mezcal (excursions) Italian style: http://www.pappa-ciccia.it/mezcal-educational-tour/
February 7: Will traditionally made mezcal go the way of industrial tequila, with quality brands selling out? https://www.thespiritsbusiness.com/2019/01/mezcal-piggybacking-off-the-success-of-tequila/?fbclid=IwAR1ASbXTqCPgGGQO841d4VYHQzo1m3xKoMd6CH5JvAgDAKrEh68eU-sTnz8
January 31: Brands of mezcal from Oaxaca we have assisted in launching, why we are proud, and why we are embarrassed about additional brands with which we have been associated: https://www.mezcalreviews.com/branding-mezcal-for-export-from-oaxaca-mexico-the-starkman-factor/
January 8: Assisting agave spirit aficionados and novices alike to avoid making mistakes buying mezcal from Oaxaca: http://tequilaaficionado.com/2019/01/06/adulteration-and-bastardization-of-traditional-mezcal-in-oaxaca/
January 8: Indeed mezcal is making a move in the UK. We do know of two brands which was inaugurated in the London area, at least one of which has now gone international. And now this brand is getting some exposure. I have not tried it though, and think the name is a bit uncool or creepy for lack of better descriptors: https://www.thedrinksbusiness.com/2018/11/waitrose-tips-mezcal-trend/?fbclid=IwAR1GbfyrLGawAmzF4LbMiB4NrTDFo4rof-sgvFJwq0n2JB4avmjSEgWDwg8
2018
December 8: To what extent will mezcal (and tequila) actually give way to other Mexican spirits in the US? https://www.forbes.com/sites/garystoller/2018/12/06/move-over-mezcal-tequila-make-room-for-new-mexican-spirits-crossing-the-border/?fbclid=IwAR03sJCM3Rl0o5YxznEti1AJuuPcCJYOlcmuFLYHyoVmlyB-YRmPWR98630#77af7198769e
November 27: The changing nature of the mezcal business, as international conglomerates buy up smaller players, and start out on their own to get a piece of the pie: https://themezcalcultureinsider.blogspot.com/2018/06/which-mezcal-do-you-drink-3-facts.html?fbclid=IwAR0BXp8j3sdgo1kMkBIGloSOJBE7ihWeyV7C26ksJmH3BBuV9IrqYRaiR7c
November 16: Want to export mezcal from Oaxaca to the US, Canada, the UK, or further abroad? Here are some preliminary considerations: http://ezinearticles.com/?Importing-Mezcal-From-Oaxaca-Into-the-US-and-Elsewhere:-First-Steps&id=9992318
October 2: Writing about mezcal in Oaxaca, the author hit some of the most renown mezcalerías, but fell short in not including an educational excursion on the itinerary. Visiting the city gets you only so far in the quest for learning. You need to get out of the city and interact with the palenqueros and their families. But here it is in any event: https://punchdrink.com/articles/where-to-drink-mezcal-oaxaca-city-mexico-in-situ-mezcaloteca-cuish/
September 26: Until the 1990s, mezcal was often made by mixing together different types of agave, and it was just called mezcal. Now, a new nomenclature: http://imbibemagazine.com/mezcal-field-blends/
September 23: More for the novice mezcal aficionado, but worthy of noting, this mezcal glossary of terms which was provided to me by John Henry, one of the authors and a partner in El Buho mezcal www.rochestercocktailrevival.com/resources.html. September 22: While not all that interesting, I suppose it could be construed as such, as mezcal cocktails go mainstream via the kitchen of a TV star from Orange in the New Black: https://www.usmagazine.com/food/news/alysia-reiners-4-ingredient-mezcal-cocktail-watch/amp/
September 18: Production of mezcal as a result of the boom, is expected to continue into at least 2023: https://mexiconewsdaily.com/news/number-of-mezcal-producers-has-nearly-tripled/?utm_source=Mexico+News+Today&utm_campaign=6632635d01-MNT+sept+8%2F18_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_f1536a3787-6632635d01-349033521
September 11: Once again mezcal makes the New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/06/travel/oaxacas-potent-secret-mezcal-is-born-of-time-tradition-and-a-slow-growing-plant.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Ftravel&action=click&contentCollection=travel®ion=rank&module=package&version=highlights&contentPlacement=8&pgtype=sectionfront
June 28: Women and Mezcal in Oaxaca: Both sexes are required to make the iconic agave based spirit, believe it or not: http://tequilaaficionado.com/2018/06/28/women-in-mezcal/
May 18: Ethical Mezcal Tourism in Oaxaca, Mexico: Towards an understanding: http://ezinearticles.com/?Ethical-Mezcal-Tourism-in-Oaxaca,-Mexico:-Towards-an-Understanding&id=9943720
May 12: Want to sleep in a tequila barrel? https://mexiconewsdaily.com/news/fancy-tequila-how-about-a-few-nights-in-a-tequila-barrel/?utm_source=Mexico+News+Daily&utm_campaign=986edbb6ed-newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_f1536a3787-986edbb6ed-349033521
May 10: Agave is the most popular raw material used to make spirits in Mexico, but there are others: https://www.liquor.com/slideshows/mexican-liquor/#gs.wC8k_jI
April 26: Paranubes Oaxacan Rum, brought to you by the owners of Mezcal Vago: https://punchdrink.com/articles/hunting-paranubes-rum-oaxaca-mexico/
April 15: Perhaps not directly on topic, but nevertheless an interesting take on whisky in Mexico and how it can impact tequila and mezcal sales nationally, at least if maguey costs coninue to rise and producers do not lower ABV to remain competitive with whisky: https://mexiconewsdaily.com/news/whisky-gains-ground-against-iconic-tequila/?utm_source=Mexico+News+Daily&utm_campaign=208d0a6368-newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_f1536a3787-208d0a6368-349033521
April 9: Making an agave distillate in California. Can it possibly rival mezcal, given the different climatic region, and the apparent dramatically higher cost of production? https://punchdrink.com/articles/welcome-mezcalifornia-tequila-agave-production-california-usa/
April 7: Here's a recent article about a new mezcal book, with apparently the recipe of the best cocktail: https://www.outtraveler.com/2018/4/02/queen-desert-mezcal-complex-vers-ready-your-cocktail
March 27: The importance of Del Maguey Mezcal for the industry, and why we should not shy away from drinking it despite a partial change in ownership: http://tequilaaficionado.com/2018/03/27/ron-cooper-del-maguey-selling-isnt-always-selling-out/
March 18: The Federal Government is cracking down on mezcal in Oaxaca infused with creepy crawlers and slitherers: http://www.nvinoticias.com/nota/87500/confisca-profepa-mezcal-de-oaxaca-con-reptiles-y-aracnidos-entre-ellas-boas
March 3: We should all be concerned when the Chief Executive Officer of a multi-national quoted about its new brand of mezcal is so uninformed (i.e. distinguishing mezcal from tequila): https://www.just-drinks.com/news/stoli-group-readies-mezcal-category-entry-just-drinks-exclusive_id125268.aspx
February 24: Opinion regarding the increasing price of agave, mezcal and tequila: http://www.tequilainterchangeproject.org/2018/02/22/drinking-for-a-greater-agave-distillates-industry/
January 28: Global, National & State Significance of Mezcal: http://ezinearticles.com/?Mezcal-in-Oaxaca:-State,-National-and-Global-Significance-of-Mexicos-Iconic-Spirit&id=9874627
2017
December 27: According to Fodors, mezcal is one of the top ten reasons to visit Oaxaca, and embarking upon a mezcal educational excursion is featured as an impetus for traveling to this southern Mexico state: https://www.fodors.com/world/mexico-and-central-america/mexico/oaxaca/experiences/news/10-reasons-to-visit-oaxaca-mexico
November 5: Agave and now its spirit has an interesting history abroad, including in India: http://www.oldtowntequila.com/single-agave-100-agave-americana-edition/
November 3: Want to know where to drink mezcal in the city of Oaxaca? Here are a few of the many options, though the article is in Spanish: https://www.travelreport.mx/gastronomia/donde-tomar-mezcal-en-oaxaca/
September 3: Considering buying a mezcal made with tobalá in the US? Read this first: https://www.mezcalreviews.com/blind-tasting-agave-tobala-mezcals/
July 16: Are industry sustainability and the artisanal nature of mezcal really hindered with the Mezcal del Maguey sale? https://www.thespiritsbusiness.com/2017/07/del-maguay-upping-mezcal-production-sustainably-is-viable/
June 18: Could mezcal every catch up to tequila? http://www.foodbev.com/news/top-four-reasons-why-mezcal-could-be-the-new-tequila/
June 16: "Rust Never Sleeps:" As if Vago Mezcal's Judah Kuper doesn't have enough to do, he's now bringing Oaxacan rum to the US: http://imbibemagazine.com/paranubes-rum/
June 7: Learning about mezcal in Mexico City: https://press.atairbnb.com/host-spotlight-mexico-city-mezcalier-welcomes-guests-cult-mezcal/
May 5: A foodie's answer to why drink mezcal: http://passionatefoodie.blogspot.mx/2017/05/ten-reasons-to-drink-mezcal-instead-of.html
