Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/711666
{ SOMMjournal.com } 123 agave" within one of nine Mexican states officially allowed to do so. (Of course, mezcal is produced in other states, but that's another story.) Contrary to popular opinion, agave is not a cactus but a suc - culent, and varieties—many named for the German botanists who "discovered" them—look extremely different. Some resemble a porcupine clutching the top of a tall stake, others look like spiky cabbages, and all varieties can only be harvested once. Around 90 percent of mezcal is made from the agave espadín, largely because it grows relatively quickly, maturing within six to eight years, and because the Mexican government has provided support to farm - ers growing this variety since the 1960s. The remaining ten percent is made from around 50 different types of cultivated, semi-cultivated and wild (silvestre) agave, which can take up to 30 years to mature and may only produce one bottle. "This one was an arroqueño that took about 18 years to grow. That made five bottles," says Kruth, as we watch some clips. "The other was a tripóne, which took 16 years to grow, and that made one bottle." This means that single-variety mezcal is expensive, especially if you consider the cost of living in Mexico. In Oaxaca, Kruth says you can expect to pay around $75 for a top variety wild mezcal, which will set you back closer to $150 in the U.S. with import and duty. Kruth says that the cost of a five- ton truck of agave has doubled to $25,000 in recent years, and given the increase in popularity and international exporters looking to cash in, unchecked growth is a worry. Bacardí's 2013 licensing deal with Casa AGP to produce the Zignum mezcal brand at its Oaxaca-based production facil - ity established the global beverage giant as one of the largest players in the category, even though many would argue that mez- cal industrial is not real mezcal. Concerns have also been voiced regarding wild agave being stripped completely from many areas, but Kruth's response is more measured in light of the huge expanses of land in which silvestre agave is found. "I think in some ways that's been over - blown, but in some ways it isn't. Talking to people there, a producer that makes tobalá will say they have no problem finding tobalá, but if [local mezcal production] starts dou - bling or quadrupling, there is absolutely a real prob lem with sustainability," says Kruth. The idea of mass-producing mezcal is completely at odds with its inherent cultural significance to the local community—mez - cal is used to celebrate everything from a hot date to a baptism and administered to treat stomaches and headaches—and the ancestral or artisanal techniques involved in crafting it. The build of the fire pit and the agave's proximity to the heat during the four- or five-day roast influences the smo - kiness of the spirit; whether it's distilled in copper or clay, and if it was stored in plastic at any point, also affects the taste. "Mezcal allows us to see more than the alcoholic drink that gets us intoxicated. It allows us to see Mexican culture," Ulises Torrentera tells Kruth from his establish - ment In Situ Mexcalería, located in Oaxaca's namesake colonial capital city. During his master class, Kruth brought 12 hard-to-find expressions, many hand- carried from Mexico, for attendees to taste the subtle and pronounced differences in producers and varietals, first-hand. The Koch Texpaxtate, produced in Oaxaca, tasted of cherries, sugared almonds with a lingering candied-banana- chip finish. The Vago Tepaxtate, from the same state, tasted almost chocolatey, nutty sweet with a peppery smoky finish. I didn't care for Alipus Espadín—to me, it had an almost antiseptic, Band-Aid taste—while the Real Minero Pechuga, distilled three times with ripe fruit, nuts and raw chicken breast, was surprisingly tasty, evoking the sweet-and-savory meat pastries I eat dur - ing Christmastime in England. While the craft cocktail movement has encouraged drinkers to seek out small- batch, unique spirits, bolstering mezcal's appeal, Kruth says that as the popularity of the spirit grows, he'd prefer to see it appre - ciated independently in the same way as a Cognac or other fine br andy. "It's not that mezcal makes bad cocktails. I just think, why make Burgundy cocktails or Napa Cab cocktails?" says Kruth. "It's an expensive proposition, and I'd like to see [mezcal] grow as something that's appreci - ated on its own." You can check out Geoff Kruth's documen- tary on mezcal at www.guildsomm.com. Harvested espadín agave: Leaves are removed in preparation for the oven. Geoff Kruth, MS, President of the Guild of Sommeliers, with Don Lorenzo Ángeles from Mezcal Real Minero.