The Spirit of the Soul: Agave Tasting

An opportunity to explore the emblematic spirits of Mexico with 3 of the most respected authorities in the world of agave culture. This interactive panel discussion will cover Mexican Spirits from historical, cultural and sustainable perspectives. From terroir of agave spirits, to bat preservation in a discussion to determine where the future of these spirits lie.

PANELISTS

Emilio Vieyra Vargas
The family tradition of Mezcal production can be traced back to 1840. Out of Emilio’s 4 great-grandfathers, 3 of them produced Mezcal. One of these great-grandparents was he 6th generation producer of Mezcal. Emilio graduated from Veterinary school in 2004.

After graduation Emilio return to the USA where he started working in the construction business. Where, a year later he moved back to Mexico to work full time with his father producing Mezcal in Pino Bonito, Michoacán.

Emilio founded the Association for Producers of Maguey and was President from 2006 to 2013. He was also was the Secretary and Founder of the Union of Mezcaleros of Michoacán from 2008 to 2012. One of the organization’s biggest achievement was helping to get the DOM to include the 29 municipalities of Michoacán. From 2007 to the present he has been the manager of operations for Destiladora Michoacána de Mezcales Tradicionales S.P.R de R.L and owner of Don Mateo de la Sierra, the first enterprise and brand certified by NOM 070 of Mezcal in the state of Michoacán.

Since October 2013, he has been a representative for producers in the Comité Estatal del Sistema Producto Maguey, A.C. (Michoacán State Committee for Maguey Products) which is a multi-sector organization tasked with ensuring chains of production adhere to federal law. Emilio is also deeply involved in environmental sustainability. Their agave farm is home to many different plants, trees, and wildlife.

In 2017, Emilio’s ranch was recognized on a state and federal level for their conservation efforts.

Pedro Jiménez Gurría
Pedro Jiménez Gurría is Mezonte’s curator of agave distilled spirits and avid promoter agave spirits culture; working in the dissemination and preservation of the culture of agave spirits for years. “I’d bring back mezcals from my trips but I was surprised that many people here had never tried a good mezcal. So I started putting on tasting sessions in my house for friends and it began to take off,” he explains.

“People started asking, ‘Why don’t you open a mezcalería?’ and I realized that would be the best way for us to have access to good mezcals.”

A few months later, Pedro opened Pare de Sufrir. Located in Guadalajara, Jalisco and features mezcals from all over Mexico, with an emphasis on Jalisco and Michoacán. This created an avenue for Pedro to demonstrate the vast possibilities that agave distilled spirits have to offer, and Mezonte was born. Pedro is also a visual artist. His work reflects a nostalgic and reflexive inner state that is represented with poetic images that speak of rituals as a way of representing
human existence.

In 2012 he directed Viva Mezcal, a documentary that explores the significance of the spirit, the stories of those who have distilled it for generations, and the growing array of challenges they face today. His work has been exhibited in different festivals around the world including Korea, Germany, France, United States, Canada, Peru, Chile, UK, Spain and Mexico.

Salvador Rosales Trejo
Salvador Rosales Trejo, owner of Tequila Cascahuin. Salvador’s passion for Tequila began in childhood as he grew up at Destileria Cascahuin, where since its establishment in 1904 the Rosales Family has made Tequila.

Salvador left the distillery to pursue a degree in Industrial Engineering with a Masters in Tequila Processes, where upon graduating he returned with a newfound knowledge of his passion. Salvador is not afraid to push the boundaries in the category of Tequila.

In 2015, Destileria Cascahuin installed a stone pit oven in the efforts to embrace the historical flavors of what Tequila once was nearly 300 years ago, and in partnership with David Suro, created Siembra Valles Ancestral. More recently, Salvador has added a Tahona for crushing the agaves to the family distillery as a continuation of the search for bold flavors that can only be achieved through a more rustic approach.

Salvador Rosales Trejo represents the future of Tequila Production and a new wave of young producers ready and willing to preserve the culture of making quality Tequila.

This is a ticketed event at $25 per ticket.
TICKETS