Decades ago, Ron Cooper single-handedly architected Mezcal’s revival.  His unbending integrity and authenticity drew great people around him, organically; and those people continue to empower him.  His supporters—many of them among the most influential in matters of gastronomy—have never been driven by marketing budgets, nor multi-national corporate might but, rather, by the purity of Cooper’s quest.  Conversely, he has paid his partners in Oaxaca premium dollars, far above market demand, since the inception of Del Maguey, long before ‘fair-trade’ was a trend.  He was pre-green, pre-organic and he has built micro-economies in multiple villages throughout Oaxaca for more than fifteen years.  He is the embodiment of truth, la verdad.

As recently as a few months ago, the Bricia-Effect was born—a grassroots movement, resulting from one barman’s love for Del Maguey’s Mezcal Vida.  It was widely known that this product, in spite of being the most important addition to the Mezcal category in several years, would have no marketing dollars, ambassadors, nor payola to burn.  Thus, a new cocktail revolution was christened in honor of Bricia Lopez, a staunch proponent of Oaxacan culture and an integral figure in the gastronomic culture of Los Angeles.  “Bricia” cocktails began popping up all over the country—some are even rumored to have surfaced in London—and its original author was never compensated a dime.  When asked, he humbly responded: ‘it was the least that he could do for two people so great.’  How often does that happen?

For some of us, what Del Maguey represents transcends the booze business, entirely—it’s about protecting an ancient ritual that pre-dates the Spanish conquest.  Though you’ll hear a distinctly different, and inaccurate, tune up in Jalisco (unless you ask any of the remaining great makers).  Mezcal is the sacred physical incarnation of a fragile culture’s soul.  A spirit that has yet to be desecrated—in the name of progress and bottom line—as we’ve seen all over the world.  Each of Del Maguey’s villages—Chichicapa, San Luis del Rio, Santo Domingo Albarradas, Santa Catarina Minas, and a few others—are making their distillates exactly as they have for generations.  In the case of Santa Catarina Minas, it’s with a bamboo and ceramic still that was likely brought over decades before Columbus stomped American soil.

The second word of the day, of late, seems to be pueblo—used interchangeably with ‘village.’  If you have the great fortune of visiting the palenques of Del Maguey, you will experience true Single Village Mezcal production.  Santiago Matatlán and Tlacolula are not pueblos, nor villages.  Tlacolula is actually the county seat and home to the largest market in the region.  ‘Village’ means dirt floors, clean air and the absence of asphalt.  Frankly, it is glorious that all of these new brands have flooded the category—some of them well-made distillates—and it’s a sign that our culture is finally evolving.  But, it needs to be said here (because you won’t hear it elsewhere) that there is only one product commercially available in the United States which is a genuine, small-village, artisanal, farmer-produced Mezcal.  And, it is Del Maguey–and, by extension, Sombra.  These distillates are completely organic and unblended—the only yeasts present are those of airborne microbes, there has never been a single additive in any of the villages.  Del Maguey represents the mother of all agave-based distillates.  Same as it ever was.

Don’t take it from me—do a blind tasting of every artisanal, village Mezcal (and those purporting to be) commercially available in the US.  Not only will each Del Maguey Single Village Mezcal distinctly reflect its place of origin—its very dirt, soul and hand of the maker but it will reveal all others to be cheap imitations.  The Mezcals of Del Maguey are among the purest, most beautiful distillates on earth and, as of yet, they are entirely incomparable.

Del Maguey is truth.  Esto es la verdad.

This great photograph was taken by Tobin Sharp at Hi-Time Wine Cellars when Ron was visiting last February.

Asado Prieto
2 oz        Del Maguey Santo Domingo Albarradas
½ oz     Carpano Antica Formula Vermouth
½ oz    Fresh squeezed lemon juice
½ oz    Fresh squeezed lime juice
½ oz    Agave Nectar
1    Luxardo Marasche Cherry (soaked in Chichicapa mezcal)
3    dashes Regan’s Orange Bitters No. 6
1     dash Angostura bitters

Pour first five ingredients in a tin-on-tin mixing glass with ice, shake and pour into a double Old Fashioned glass.  Dash bitters; garnish with a thin-sliced lime wheel, lemon skin and Luxardo Marasche Cherry.

For this cocktail, I used the Schott Zwiesel Paris Tritan Crystal Double Old Fashioned [which I got at Bar Keeper, in Silver Lake (where we get everything).  Joe has a ridiculous wealth of all things necessary—from the esoteric rarified to bar essentials—and his prices are fantastic].

As for the ice, we used the MoMa Japanese molds; I can only imagine the look on Ron Cooper’s face, between the spheres and the ‘precious’ ingredients.  Ironically enough, the end result is actually one of the most authentic expressions of the Palenques that I’ve experienced.  All of those ingredients actually marry to create a libation that transports you—one can actually smell the roast.

Enjoy.

Las Perlas—mezcal’s new Los Angeles home, thanks to Cedd Moses and Mark Verge— is opening tonight!  When you go (which better be soon), ask for Raul Yrastorza, the man in charge, who has actually walked the palenques of Oaxaca with Ron Cooper (founder of Del Maguey Single Village Mezcal).  Raul gets authentic maguey distillates like few people—among his offerings are el Melón, which I cannot seem to get enough of.  As with all of his cocktails, insist that he use Del Maguey—you’ll be glad you did.

el Melón
2 oz    Mezcal (Raul has a particular affinity for Santo Domingo Albarradas [as I do])
¾ oz    Lime juice (fresh squeezed, obviously)
¼ oz    Lemon juice (same)
½ oz    Agave nectar
½ oz     Combier Liqueur d’Orange
2 small pieces of cantaloupe
Muddled goji berries
Cantaloupe foam
Top with salt, pepper and edible flower

Cantaloupe Foam
8 oz     Fresh squeezed cantaloupe juice
1 oz     Agave nectar
½ oz    Combier Liqueur d’Orange
4 oz    Egg whites
½ tsp    gelatin powder

Add all ingredients into an ISI cream foamer, charge, shake and apply.

Manzanita de Chimayo
1½ oz    El Tesoro Reposado Tequila
½ oz    Del Maguey Crema de Mezcal
1 oz    Apple juice (fresh pressed)
¾ oz    Lime juice (fresh squeezed)
½ oz    Agave nectar
¼ oz    Crème de cassis
1     Lime-cube (lime wheel frozen inside of two-inch ice cube)

Pour first five ingredients in a mixing glass; add ice, shake for at least one minute, strain into old-fashioned glass, with single two-inch lime-cube.  Delicately pour Crème de cassis directly onto ice cube, allowing it to slowly descend, creating contrast.