Mezcal making is a complex art that is passed down through the generations: it’s a family business. A budding mezcalero works tirelessly at his family’s palenque learning from his elders for decades before earning the title of “maestro mezcalero”.

Mezcal is traditionally made for family events, celebrations and gifted or sold locally within the community. As mezcal grew in popularity, the Mexican government decided to create a Denomination of Origin (DO) around the word mezcal; presumably to protect the artisanal craft of mezcal making… 

What actually ended up happening is that small producers who had been making mezcal for hundreds of years in the traditional ways, were unable to obtain the DO due to considerable cost and hoops to jump through.

Although their product is as “mezcal” as it gets, it must legally be called “destilado de agave” or “agave spirit” since it does not carry the mezcal DO. Most of what we sell at Agua de Cora comes from these small producers and is therefore called “agave spirits”.

Read more on the topic from our friend Lou Bank of S.A.C.R.E.D., here.