Agave Spirits bring people together in a way not too many other spirits can. From harvesting, to producing, and consuming, every facet is laced with cultivating relationships. Mezcal and other agave spirits are that farm-to-table restaurant where you eat at a communal setting, smiling next to strangers as you share stories, while the chef is continuously serving up dishes and discussing the ingredients with you. Fathers pass down traditions and techniques, mezcaleros sell to friends and neighbors, and if there’s ever a celebration, you can bet your bottom dollar that the good stuff is getting brought out; it’s part of the romance, the mystique, and if you’ll forgive the pun, the spirit of the plant itself. I know from my personal experience visiting Oaxaca that the relationships formed around mezcal transcend language and cultural barriers. While I did take Spanish in high school, ‘rusty’ would be a generous term for my grasp of it now. I was invited to a mezcalero’s birthday party and by the end, felt as welcomed and loved as any member of the family or long-time friend—we were all able to bond around the language of mezcal.
