Internet Articles About Mezcal Which Have Come Across My Desk
June 29, 2025: Here's the most recent article about California venturing into the agave distillate industry, to compete with our beloved MEZCAL: The Battle for the Soul of California Agave Spirits | Wine Enthusiast
June 19, 2025: Clase Azul tequila is now producing a "premium" mezcal, at a very high price. Will this induce snotty tequila drinkers to try and then move over to more traditional mezcales? Clase Azul reinterprets mezcal-making for latest Tequila - The Spirits Business
June 9, 2025: Earlier this month (June 3, 2025) I published a new article about how to determine if someone is a mezcal expert or master: Oaxaca mezcal tours - Mezcal Blog
May 27, 2025: While not specifically about mezcal, this new article provides a history of sotol: The Native Mexican Drink That Was Banned For 50 Years
April 28, 2025: The positive is it exposes more people to agave distillates, but the negative is it could adversely impact the livelihoods of Oaxacan palenqueros: Can Non-Mexican Agave Spirits Go Mainstream? | SevenFifty Daily
April 25, 2025: Latest article about how mezcal brand owners should be approaching their business model: Nosotros Avanzamos Juntos: We Move Forward Together - Sip Magazine
April 23, 2025: Australia has it, and yes California has it, but you've can't call it mezcal (or tequila). Is this a good thing or a bad thing for Mexico? Just Don’t Call It ‘Tequila’ - The New York Times
February 23, 2025: Here is my latest article, a primer on mezcal production, predominantly for those new to the spirit and agave distillates more generally: Inside Oaxaca’s Mezcal Production Process - Expat Health Pulse Mexico
February 1, 2025: Los Danzantes (and Alipus I assume) represent the most recent mezcal brands to sell a majority interest to a multi-national organization: Emperador acquires luxury mezcal company in Mexico | Philstar.com
January 7, 2025: A few years ago I (Alvin) introduced my business associate to palenquero José Alberto Pablo. He in turn introduced the brand owner of Creador Agave Spirits to José Pablo. And more recently Creador launched José Pablo's mezcal. Now in the marketplace there are well over 20 brands which owe their existence to us at Mezcal Educational Excursions of Oaxaca: Made in Clay: The family that has been making clay pots for mezcaleros for generations — Creador Agave Spirits
December 14: Will mezcal go the way of tequila viz. the use of exclusively agave clones? I think not, and explain the reasons on our educational tours: Blue Agave’s Genetic Decline Threatens Tequila Production
October 2024: In the wake of October 7, these Israelis are now producing an agave distillate: Kibbutz that fought off Oct. 7 terror endeavors to develop Israeli version of tequila | The Times of Israel
October 2024: The best places in the US to drink mezcal: The 10 Best Mezcal Bars and Mezcalerías in the U.S. | PUNCH (punchdrink.com)
June 2024: The mezcal boom and its importance for the economy of Oaxaca: Why is Mezcal so important to the future of Oaxaca? - MexConnect
June 2024: The rise of agave distillates in India: Is Agave The New Gin? Exploring The Rise Of India’s Next Big Drinking Trend | Times Now (timesnownews.com)
June 2/23: The importance of agave spirits: Having A Moment: Please Drink More Mezcal. Like, Right Now. | Newcity Resto
April 23/23: The best mezcals for making margaritas, according to some supposedly in the know: The Best Mezcal Brands for Margaritas, According to Bartenders | PUNCH (punchdrink.com)
April 22/23: A new mezcal bar in San Miguel de Allende: ANOTHER New Mezcal Bar in San Miguel de Allende? (substack.com)
April 10/23: California's agave distillate industry is taking off: California’s take on tequila, mezcal coming to distilleries | The Sacramento Bee (sacbee.com)
January 10/23: Opportunities for finding palenques between Oaxaca and the coast: Finding Mezcal Along One of Mexico's Most Notorious Roads - InsideHook
January 18/23: Read the results of a recent mezcal blind tasting: Takeaway From a Mezcal Blind Tasting - Tequila Aficionado Magazine
September 23/22: Here's a very recent article about the boom in sotol: What is sotol and why is it all the rage now? (mysanantonio.com)
September 15/22: Here's my own article about the business of mezcal, in particular addressing the problems with being critical of celebrity incursion into the industry, and multinationals' takeover of some of our favourite brands: The Business of Agave Distillates: Does Multinational Takeover and Cel (mezcalforlife.com)
July 30/22: This article outlines some of the problems we face in the mezcal industry: Mezcal Dogmatism & Misinformation: The Bane of the Industry - Tequila Aficionado Magazine
July 24/22: Here's the most recent piece about the mezcal explosion in England: Is Mezcal the new gin? What it is and where to drink the hottest spirit of the moment | Metro News
July 19/22: Methanol poisoning raises its ugly head once again, but seemingly not related to mezcal and likely not related to other agave distillates in Oaxaca or elsewhere in Mexico: Methanol in blood of teens who died in South African tavern (msn.com)
July 12/22: Agave and Its Distillates outside of Mexico: Just Don’t Call it Tequila: The Global Agave Boom Has Arrived | Wine Enthusiast Magazine (winemag.com)
June 25/22: How to develop a recipe for mezcal de pechuga: The Anatomy of Mezcal de Pechuga Recipe Development - Tequila Aficionado Magazine
June 12/22: Mezcal helps tequila in lifting American agave distillate sales above that of whiskey: Mezcal and Tequila Pass Whiskey as US's Second-Most Purchased Spirit - Bloomberg
May 20/22: Another piece about the challenge to maintain longstanding traditions of making mezcal in rural Oaxaca, and the desire for a cheap fix: Slow, Reflective, Quiet — Meditations on Mezcal in San Baltazar Guelavila — Good Beer Hunting
May 13/22: Capitalism and Mezcal: Here's an interesting piece by a client, now friend with his own UK brand, Sin Gusano. I have my own thoughts, but for now, have a look at this: Capitalism, celebrity, and the death of Mezcal | by Jon Darby | May, 2022 | Medium
April 30/22: The best mezcals in the US today? Here's what some industry professionals have recently opined: Best Mezcal Brands Available in the US - Thrillist
April 30/22: While the industry professional can opine as much as they want, there is an additional consideration for all of us prior to committing to buying an agave distillate, mezcal or otherwise: How to Choose a Brand of Mezcal to Buy - Tequila Aficionado
March 27/22: The Commission Conundrum for the mezcal tour guide or teacher, this being one of a number of articles designed to assist those in or wanting to get into the business: Successful Tour Guide Series: The Commission Conundrum - Tequila Aficionado
March 21/22: The folks at tequilaaficionado.com have been kind enough to publish my articles designed to help aspiring mezcal guides and others interested in teaching about Mexican distillates, so here is the first in a series of articles with that theme in mind: How to Be a Successful Distillery Tour Guide - Tequila Aficionado
March 21/22: And here is the second article in the series, dealing with whether or not there is a conflict between the mezcal tour facilitator, the client, and the distiller, and assuming there is, how to avoid the appearance of conflict: Successful Tour Guide Series: Conflict of Interest - Tequila Aficionado
March 19: Food & Wine recently published what it states are the best mezcals according to industry professionals. While I rarely drink export brands, I agree with some, while others no way. Should not any listing include reputation of brand owners and palenqueros in the broader agave distillate community? What perks are the pros given to rate as high, or what are the prersonal relationships at play? Premium Mezcal Recommendations from Top Beverage Professionals | Food & Wine (foodandwine.com)
