The Delicate Rise of Mezcal

 

Bloomberg - "The Last Days of Mezcal"

"Ironically, the explosion of interest in mezcal rests on its artisanal nature, its reputation as agave’s anti-tequila. Most tequila is a mass-produced commodity churned out in gleaming factories by the global liquor giants, but mezcal still comes from thousands of small family operations across Oaxaca and eight other Mexican states, using methods that have barely changed in centuries. The wild agave species, wood fires, open fermentation vats, steampunk stills and whims of the mezcalero all contribute to an astonishingly flavorful and diverse spirit that mixes floral, fruity and herbal notes against a beautiful backdrop of smoke. Collectors discovered mezcal in the 2000s, bartenders and influencers followed, and the land rush was on."