‘Smoke & Time’ – An Intro to Mezcal

For close to five centuries the people of Mexico have been using the agave plant to make distilled spirits. It is called mezcal. In the mountainous southern state of Oaxaca there are palenques tucked away in the hills and valleys that still make mezcal the way its been made for hundreds of years. Recently the rest of the world has taken notice and started enjoying this unique liquor. In this class you will learn about the very involved and unique process and traditions that surround mezcal.

In this class you will learn about the long tradition of mezcal. Ben will share his love of mezcal and explain why it is so special in the world of spirits. You’ll be given a brief history of distilling in Mexico and the Agave plant and its central place in the pre European world of Mexico, as well as a run-down of the process that agave must go through to become mezcal. Finally we will taste 6 different mezcals, mostly of the Espadin variety, with a few of the wild varieties thrown in there as well.