Aug 7, 2026 | Read Online​

MEZCAL TRAVEL NOTES

When I travel, I always plan my trip down to the minute. Except this one time.

It was my last day in Oaxaca. I had an hour to kill before dinner and didn't want to waste it. So I just started walking from the northern part of the city towards town. I took a few wrong turns but finally came across this little blue storefront.

On the surface, it looked like a well-designed mezcal art and merch shop. Well-appointed btw...

But I peeked my head in the back room and found a great tasting space too.

That's where I met Cofras Diaz -- super cool dude.

He gave me a really nice mezcal, rum, and liquor tasting.

Overall, it was one of the warmest welcomes and diverse tastings I had while in Oaxaca.

The name? Agave y Espíritu. It's on the corner of Porfirio Diaz & Mariano Matamoros.

From now on, I'll be devoting a small portion of my trips to unplanned exploration so I can find more little gems like this one serendipitously! 🙃

TASTING NOTES

My first taste of ancestral mezcal started me on my journey of agave-based journalism nearly a decade ago. So, whenever I can, I pick up a bottle. This week, I'm reviewing a solid Ensamble from Madre Mezcal that combines Espadin and Tobasiche.

To simplify my own tasting process (and teach others), I developed a "tasting guide". ​You can download it here: Mezcal Tasting Guide | MezcalCulture.Com - 2026.pdf​​​

The tasting guide follows both the process of how to taste mezcal AND some simple ways to identify what you're tasting.
​
​Using the guide, here's how I mapped this tasting...
​
​Brand: Madre Mezcal​
Category: Ancestral​
Agave: Ensamble - Espadin & Tobasiche​
ABV: 47%​
Region: Oaxaca​
Lot: ANC-02​
​
SNIFF:
​ - Fruity and a little Woody​
KISS:
- Sweet ​
COAT:
- Melon, Cedar, Wet Stones​
SWALLOW:
- Intensity: Hot
- Complexity: Complex
- Mouth Feel: Smooth
- Length: Medium
- Smoke: Light
- Did I Like It? YES!

OVERALL REVIEW: This is the kind of mezcal I like. Sweet-smelling with some notes of cedar. The kiss (first sip) is also sweet. When I coat my tongue a few times, it's quite complexity -- it evolves with each sip. I taste minerals from the ancestral production process, roasted melon, wood, caramel, and a light smoke at the end. It's a "hot" mezcal, meaning it burns a little bit but it doesn't have a strong alcohol smell. I would drink this again.

TASTING OPPORTUNITIES

🔎 Find 100+ agave-themed dinners, tastings, happy hours, festivals, bar crawls, and other exciting events @ mezcalculture​
​
FRIDAY - AUG 7

FL: Venice
​Tequila Tasting with Rich​
​
TX: El Paso
​An Evening in The Agave Room with Caballito Cerrero​
​
UT: SLC
​All About Tequila​
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​SATURDAY - AUG 8

FL: Maitland
​Educational Tequila Tasting​
​
IL: Wheaton
​Ocho Day! Flights & Bites with Tequila Ocho​
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OH: Columbus
​Tequila Fest Columbus 2026​
​
VA: Norfolk
​Sundresses and Tequila​
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​MONDAY - AUG 10

GA: Peachtree City
​Cambio Tequila Dinner​
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TX: Austin
​Mezcal Amaras Spirit Society at Seven Grand Austin​
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​TUESDAY - AUG 11

NY: Patchogue
​Cigar & Tequila Night​
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​WEDNESDAY - AUG 12

CA: Irvine
​Patron Tequila Master Distiller Dinner at Bosscat Kitchen Irvine​
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FL: Naples
​Summer Spirits Dinner Series - Tequila Ocho​
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TX: Houston
​HiFi at The Finn Cocktail Class - With Mijenta Tequila​
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​THURSDAY - AUG 13

HI: Honolulu
​The Fortaleza Tequila Experience​
​
NY: Garden City
​Tequila Tasting at The Patio Bar by David Burke​
​
TX: San Antonio
​Alma del Jaguar Tasting Night at Cuishe Cocina Mexicana​
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OH: Worthington
​Herradura Tequila Tasting​
​

FEATURED COCKTAIL:
JUMPING CRISTALINO

It's still hot and humid on the East Coast so I'm not giving up on finding great poolside mezcal cocktails just yet! This gem comes from the 400 Conejos family.
​
A tropical, all-Latin cocktail, the Jumping Cristalino is one of those drinks you take a sip, shake your head, and think..."I could drink these all day." And because they're super easy to make, you could easily prep a pitcher for the whole gang!

​Courtesy of 400 Conejos​

INGREDIENTS:

• 1.75 oz 400 Conejos Cristalino Mezcal
• 1.75 oz Guava puree
• 1 oz Fresh pineapple juice
• 1 oz Fresh lime juice

INSTRUCTIONS:

• Prep an Old Fashioned glass with a hibiscus salt rim.
• Shake all liquid ingredients vigorously with ice.
• Single-strain into the glass and garnish with a charred guava slice and fresh mint.

ATTRIBUTIONS:

Recipe: 400 Conejos​
Photo & Design: 400 Conejos​

WHAT'S SHAKIN'?

:: EL BANDIDO YANKEE EARNS MBE​
Ultra-premium additive-free brand El Bandido Yankee officially secured its Minority Business Enterprise certification, positioning it among the fastest-growing minority-owned tequilas in the US market while highlighting co-founder Jim Bob Morris' Native American heritage.
​Read More...​
​Source: PR Newswire

:: MEZCAL REINA LAUNCHES CANNED COCKTAILS​
Women-founded Mezcal Reina expanded its portfolio with canned Paloma and Mezcalita cocktails, utilizing its Espadín expression to capture market share in the rapidly growing ready-to-drink sector. The development process focused heavily on maintaining the chemical stability of fresh citrus and authentic mezcal smoke over time, ensuring a balanced sensory experience in a canned format.
​Read More...
Source: The Spirits Business

:: TEREMANA LAUNCHES CUSTOM CARD GAME
​Teremana Tequila partnered with Emmy Award-winning studio The Skin Deep to release a specialized 52-card conversation deck. The collaboration leverages the brand's core "Mana" philosophy to drive offline, shared experiences and deep conversations during summer drinking occasions.
​Read More...​
​Source: PR Newswire

:: SUPER PREMIUM TEQUILA FACES 5% DROP BY 2030​
An updated IWSR analysis predicts a significant agave supply glut by 2030 following years of over-planting, which should ease raw material costs for distillers. While super-premium tequila volumes are expected to decline, the data suggests knowledgeable consumers will continue driving growth in ultra-premium expressions and emerging international markets.
​Read More...
Source: The Spirits Business

MEZCAL CULTURE RESOURCES

1. ​The Best Mezcal & Tequila Bars​
2. ​Mezcal Brands Available in the USA​
3. ​Mezcal Tasting Guide​
4. ​Mezcal Tours in Mexico​
5. ​The Best Mezcal Cocktails​
6. ​Mezcal Merch​
7. ​Our Summer Spotify Playlist​