Facebook 0 Pinterest 2.1K+ LinkedIn Email Reddit 12 Messenger Twitter

Author Jay Schroeder said, “You’re not going to read a book on Mezcal, cover-to-cover, and three hours later be woke and understand mezcal. It’s not going to happen. Mezcal, as a category, is unknowable. It is infinitely complex, and every rule has many exceptions to it.”

Schroeder’s book, “Understanding Mezcal” isn’t meant to be the definitive work on the Mexican spirit, but rather as a guide to starting your journey.

So, let’s begin the journey.

What is Mezcal

Mezcal is a spirit distilled from the agave plant. There are hundreds of agave varietals, with the majority growing throughout Mexico. The most famous of Mexico’s many agave spirits is tequila. Tequila must be distilled from the varietal, Blue Agave, while Mezcal can be produced from any agave varietal, which makes the spirit more diverse when it comes to flavor.

Madre Mezcal Coming To St. Louis

A new mezcal is arriving in our town this weekend.

Madre Mezcal is an artisanal Mezcal, made by hand in the hills of San Dionisio, Oaxaca. Produced by Jose Garcia Morales and his family, this blended mezcal is a traditional Zapotec recipe. Jose Garcia Morales and his family, have maintained their Zapotec tradition of Mezcal production, crafting artisanal spirits in small batches, and now offer a unique blended Mezcal called Madre. Madre Mezcal is made with 70% agave Espadin and 30% agave Cuixe (Karwinskii) agave. The agaves are roasted in an earthen pit, and fermented with local well-water and wild yeast found in the mountain air. Distillation is done in the family’s aged copper still. Madre has a hint of smoke, with a sweet fragrance. Herbal notes of sage, earth, and minerals appear on the tongue, with a lingering floral finish.