An ancient Mexican spirit gains popularity in the U.S.
Mexico’s mezcal is catching on the United States. Exports of the Oaxacan spirit increased by 54% in 2010 (Photo: Los Amantes/ Casa Mezcal)
By KARINA VIEIRA
Channel: Culture, Latin American Affairs
Mezcal is often called the cousin of tequila. Genealogically speaking, though, this lesser known spirit is really tequila’s great-grandmother. Mezcal (or mescal) has been produced by the Zapotec Indians for over 400 years and is the oldest distillate in North America.
It was about time, then, that its cachet — and demand — started growing in the U.S. Long regarded as the “Next Big Thing,” it finally seems that this offbeat agave-based liquor is coming into its own.
Last year, the exports of mezcal from the Southern state of Oaxaca, the epicenter of its production, rose by 54 percent, according to the Mexican Secretary of Agriculture. In contrast, the exports of tequila increased by only 12 percent.
“Lately we’ve been selling mezcal like never before,” says Ignacio Carballido, a Mexican entrepreneur and restauranteur in New York.
Along with Guillermo Olguin, a painter and spirit connoisseur, Ignacio owns and has imported the artisanal yet sophisticated Los Amantes label since 2004. Last year, they also opened Casa Mezcal, a three-story mansion in Manhattan dedicated to Oaxacan arts, music, and, of course, mezcal. Other American cities, like Austin and Los Angeles, also have their own mezcalerías.
Mezcalerias have sprung up in New York, Austin, and Los Angeles (Photo: Los Amantes/ Casa Mezcal)
A few years ago, it was a different story.
“I remember feeling like a parrot, repeating over and over and over the differences between tequila and mezcal. Now people even know about the many types of mezcals,” says Barbara Sweetman, vice-president of Caballeros Inc., an exporter of four different brands of the liquor.
The strict quality-control laws and certification process approved in 2005 and required for all exports have boosted mezcal’s reputation as a serious liquor. While Mexico exports mezcal to 27 countries (last week, Caballeros shipped bottles to Lebanon and Iraq), the US represents the largest market overseas. In 2007, there were 28 brands certified by COMERCAM, the regulatory body that controls the quality of mezcal. Today, there are over 80 brands.
And the industry keeps growing. This year, the Spirits of Mexico Festival offered a program in New York for aficionados seeking certification as Master Mezcalier. Among other things, participants learned about the different types of agaves and how to incorporate mezcal into cocktails. Traditionally, however, the elixir is slowly sipped straight.
At Cantina Royal, a hip Mexican restaurant in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn, chef Julio Mora found his own way of teaching about the spirit, which he personally favors over tequila.
“I’m now serving what I call ‘the trio’, which consists of the same brand of mezcal at different stages: the un-aged Joven, the smoky Reposado and the Añejo, aged at least a year,” he said.
Why did it take so long for mezcal to gain popularity in the United States? Initially, it was never widely promoted here. And while tequila has long been touted as a spring break booze, mezcal appealed to a more select taste. In fact, exporters prefer to keep it that way.
“While I’m happy to see the life of Oaxacan mezcaleros improving, I wouldn’t like to see mezcal being mass-produced as tequila is,” says Ignacio, who fears the ancient brew’s over-commercialization could jeopardize its quality.
And then, again, there’s the worm. Mezcal bottles have long been recognized by their bobbing worms, introduced in the 50s as a marketing gimmick. These exotic creatures have (understandably) kept many people from even tasting mezcal. But most upscale brands now sold in the US, like Los Amantes, took them out.
“The worm alters the taste of mezcal. I don’t like it. To me, it’s very important to keep the liquor pure,” says Ignacio.
Most Americans, it seems, would agree.
