A Mezcal Dinner and New Arrivals from Mexico!
4/6/18 -
Are we living in the golden age of mezcal? At this point, I think it's safe to say it's an exploding category. We're seeing more exposure: more articles, more selections available on the shelf, and more consumers interested in learning about mezcal. It seems like almost every week there is something new, either special releases from our favorite producers, or entirely new mezcals debuting in the US market. And with all the excitement there are big changes afoot. Multi-billion dollar companies such as Cuervo and Casamigos are attempting to edge in on the excitement, much to the dismay of hardcore aficionados who feel the precious resource of wild agave (many of which take decades to reach full maturity) should be reserved for more artisanal production. The Consejo Regulador recently updated the laws governing mezcal in an effort to regulate quality, but in the process has incensed many small producers, especially outside of the legal zones as they are banned from using the term mezcal and cut out of the recent rise in popularity and the economic benifits related to that. And while various entities are trending on the newfound cache of mezcal to turn it into a lifestyle or brand choice, famers and distillers all across Mexico are attempting to find the balance between preserving a cultural history and tradition, and producing a luxury product that resonates on the global marketplace.
It's hard to say if the mezcal of the future will be better or worse, but I can guarantee that it will be different. Will a cultivated Tepeztate taste as fierce and beautiful as the wild-harvested examples we get to drink today? Will large brands begin to dominate production and push out the small farmer-producers as has happened in Tequila? Will the great biodiversity of agave species that is present today in Mexico survive as more and more players get into the game? I feel incredibly lucky to be a mezcal drinker now, to have the chance to explore, and be a part of the conversation of the changing landcape of agave spirits.
We're very excited to finally have the second series of Rezpiral bottlings in store. Rezpiral is a project started by Alex Mazzarella which brings incredibly small batch, declassified mezcal to the New York market. Alex is working with four different producers (all four of which are represented below) around Oaxaca who are each working outside the legal mezcal Denomination de Origen. These batches, often yielding only 100-200 liters of spirit, are simply labeled destilado de agave, and these are some of our favorite mezcals we've tried recently. Alex is also working directly with these producers to promote both the sustainabilty and biodiversity of agave species in Oaxaca, helping with land conservation and plantings, as well as working to complete a plant nursery by the end of 2018. And hopefully bringing us more delicious spirits in the future! Oskar Kostecki
We're also pleased to announce the first spirits dinner Chambers Street has hosted in a long time. We'll be opening some special bottles at Gran Eléctrica in Dumbo on Monday, April 30th. See below for more details.
As always, our spirits offers are available for in-store pick-up, delivery within New York City, and shipping within New York State.
