FEATURE
Mezcal:
magic and tradition
By Raquel del Castillo
Magic surrounds Mezcal. Perhaps all these mystical assertions might sound well trodden but they are true. Go
to the palenques, vinatas or distilleries to understand this. There you will encounter the smell the piled agave
“pineapples,” next to the donkeys or horses carrying rocks from the quarry. Then, you will smell wood slowly
consumed by fire, and eat the flesh of the cooked agave, which will sweeten the mouth. And above all you will
listen to the master mezcaleros with their wide hands and pointed finger nails looking far into the distance.
These men are wizards; they listen to their plants, know about the soil and take care of their crops.
Even though many states are
producers in the Isthmus, Oaxaca
most prominently springs to mind.
To experience the black clay state is
to drink mescal out of a calabash or
the traditional mescal glass. Lately, I
have visited some palenques. While
there, I remembered those days when
the sky was blue and the winter wind
felt strangely warmed not only by its
flavors but also by the hospitality of
those wishing to share the beautiful
Oaxaca.
The first stop we made was in “Mal
de Amores” (heartache) in Santiago
Matatlán. This is also a restaurant.
At the end of the tour, the maestro
Armando Hernández offered us a
brief taste of Tobalá, Cuixe, Espadín
(the house elixir) and a few blends.
Like in all the palenques, the plants
themselves are witnesses of their
evolution, the selected agave
“pineapples” rest beside the wood
fired earthen oven where they are
cooked, making them tender and
sweet with the help of the heat of
the mesquite and eucalyptus wood.
This wood, in turn, is ground by the
grinder and left to ferment in pine
barrels before being distilled.
We observe the legend, “Until I can’t
see you, Jesus,” which is engraved
on one of the columns of Mal de
Amores, while Armando offers his
sample. Here, it smells of soil and a
woody magical air lingers, where one
feels good and at peace.
Then, Alberto told us the history of
his brand that started in 2011. From
its birth it has been recognized as
one of the best white distillate in the
world, according to the San Francisco
World Spirits Competition (2012).
With enthusiasm, Alberto shared one
of his favorite places: Las Salinas,
close to his palenque where we had
some more of his mezcal, this time a
certified organic distillate. Feet were
bathing in water of different shades
of blue and turquoise surrounded by
green grass; a light breeze blew while
a herd passed by on tiptoes so as not
break the spell.
24 Food Mexico and Me Special Edition 2015
The trip continued to Wahaka Mezcal
where Alberto Morales introduced
us to his family, his grandfather Don
Nicolás García, and father of those
moving silently from one side to the
other in a dance whilst laying out the
wood, piling the corn and the agave
“pineapples” of Jabil, Tubal and Testate
that make these spirits. The distillate is
an expression of this soil. Here, one
can see i