Stewed

Single Village MEZCAL from Del Maguey

by ABlock | 25 Jul 2011 | 0 Comments

A few years back, I had the pleasure of spending a few weeks in Mexico with my surrogate Brother, Nick Martin on his sailboat Fully Involved, navigating the beautiful waters of The Pacific Ocean from Puerto Angel to Acapulco. Nick met me at the airport in Mexico City, drove South and spent the first two days in Oaxaca. WHAT AN AMAZING PLACE! The culture, the people, the food and the drink where not only uniquely diverse and of the region but quite possibly the best Mexico has to offer. After eating our way through town at some of the locals favorites La Biznaga and Los Daznates, where the Huitalacoche and Chapulines were all the sort legends are made of, we stumbled, yes stumbled upon Del Maguey. A shinning light, calling us to it’s fountain.

Here’s what it’s all about…Del Maguey (pronounced: ma-gay) brings you a collection of fine, rare, unblended mezcals made by individual family producers in tiny remote villages scattered throughout the state of Oaxaca (prounced: wah-ha-kah), Mexico. Each Del Maguey Mezcal bears the name of the village where it is produced. The highest level of integrity is maintained in order to preserve this art which is revered by the peoples of the mountains, plains and fertile valleys of this magical region.
Using natural processes over four hundred years old, the village palenquero (maker) captures the true body and spirit of mezcal with only two ingredients: water and the heart of the maguey (agave).
The hearts of maguey are roasted over hot stones in a pit in the ground for three to five days covered with earth. They are then ground to a mash using horse-powered stone mills, followed by a long period of natural fermentation in wooden vats and finally distilled twice, very slowly, in wood-fired clay or copper stills.

These mezcals are truly unlike any others. They are the most rare, pure and finest available in the world. Their flavor has been described as smokey, true, deep and warm. The production is only available in exclusive quantities, for each different village’s mezcal, to preserve 16th century style and quality. Truly amazing!

“FEW SPIRITS TAP INTO THE MYTHIC PAST QUITE LIKE MEZCAL -
AT ITS HEART, THIS MEXICAN SPIRIT HAS RETAINED ITS MYSTERY,
AND STILL EMBRACES THE ANCIENT NOTION OF ALCOHOL AS A
GIFT FROM THE GODS.”