SINGLE VILLAGE MEZCAL
Roland + Russell is proud to bring to you Del Maguey mezcals, not only because of their quality but because the philosophy and ethics of Ron Cooper’s project are so close to our values that we simply cannot find the words to explain our pride and excitement.
Please click here to read about Ron Cooper and his visionary project to preserve the mezcal tradition and share it with others. This is a truly remarkable story. Thank you Ron!
Del Maguey (pronounced: ma-gay) is a truly artisanal collection of fine, rare unblended mezcals made by individual family producers in tiny remote villages scattered throughout the state of Oaxaca (prounced: wah-ha-kah), Mexico. Each Del Maguey Mezcal bears the name of the village where it is produced. The highest level of integrity is maintained in order to preserve this art which is revered by the peoples of the mountains, plains and fertile valleys of this magical region. Using natural processes over four hundred years old, the village palenquero (maker) captures the true body and spirit of mezcal with only two ingredients: water and the heart of the maguey (agave). The hearts of maguey are roasted over hot stones in a pit in the ground for three to five days covered with earth. They are then ground to a mash using horse-powered stone mills, followed by a long period of natural fermentation in wooden vats and finally distilled twice, very slowly, in wood-fired clay or copper stills. These mezcals are truly unlike any others. They are the rarest, purest and finest available in the world. Their flavor has been described as smokey, true, deep and warm. Production is only available in exclusive quantities, for each different village's mezcal, to preserve 16th century style and quality.
The state of Oaxaca's topography is the most varied in the country of Mexico. The capital city of Oaxaca is in the center of a confluence of three great valleys at an altitude of 6,500 feet. There are mountains, plains, fertile valleys, tropical jungles and the Pacific Ocean all creating many differing growing zones for countless varieties of maguey.
The word Mezcal comes from Metl or Mexcalmetl, the prehispanic Nahuatl language, meaning Agave. Today the commonly used word for Agave in Oaxaca is Maguey.
Nearly twenty-five percent (900,000) of the total Indian population of Mexico live in the state of Oaxaca. The indigenous languages and cultures of Oaxaca are unusually diverse and un-industrialized or changed by modern society.
In the Mixteca live: Mixtec, Trique, Chocho, Amuzgo, Ixcatec and Nahua.
In the Zapoteca live: Zapotecs, Chatin and Chontal.
The northern zone is inhabited by: Mazatec, Chinantec, Mixe, Cuicatec and Mixtec Indians.
