Along with tequila, mezcal is always a popular spirit in America on May 5th - Cinco de Mayo. After this year's holiday, Sailor Guevara, Founder/CEO, Icon of Whisky 2020, and mixologist, shared these thoughts on how SUSTO helped change her perspective on agave spirits.
As a bartender I often dreaded May 5th, it was a drunk-jerk fest which seemed super culturally disrespectful. Not to mention that my own past experiences with tequila were pretty terrible, this was not the fault of the tequila.
For years & years I had been advocating solely for whisk(e)y brands & felt I had fallen a little out of touch with what was happening in the rest of the spirits universe. I sought to fix that & fell head over heels for the agave spirits & the people I have met behind the brands.
For centuries, Mexican curanderos have used a good solid sip of mezcal to ward off susto: a frightened, soulless sensation.
Susto Mezcal is made by mezcalero Crispin Perez at his palenque in San Dionisio Ocotepec, Oaxaca.
If you have experienced Mezcal in the past & were put off by the smoke, this Mezcal is for you. If you are a lover of Mezcal, this is for you. If you have never tasted Mezcal, this is for you. Approachable yet complex, interesting yet understandable. This is a sipping spirit that will hold your interest from first to last sip. This is a cocktail spirit that adds dimension & depth to a cocktail.
Tasting Notes: Imagine a vanilla cake that is not too sweet, just sweet enough, with tropical fruit, juicy pineapple layered throughout. Then a hint of the scent of roses and earth with the yummiest of sweet pipe smoke dancing in between the layers.
I hope as a country we can learn to better celebrate the beauty and bounty of Mexico with respect and honor.
#cincodemayo #vivamexico
