Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/759555
december 2016 / the tasting panel / 75 T he bottles in the 123 Spirits portfolio were set on a bar side table at José Andrés's Washington, D.C. modern Mexican outpost, Oyamel, each com- pletely organic and sustainable—from the liquid inside to the recycled, hand-blown glass bottle and the soy ink used on the label. But while guests sampled the distillery's popular tequilas, it was the sixth bottle— adorned with a sacred skull inspired by the Aztec goddess Mictecacihuatl, "the Guardian of the Bones," symbolizing strength and influence—that everyone really turned out for. On November 2, 2016—the Mexican Day of the Dead holiday—123 Spirits founder David Ravandi and his team launched the distillery's new- est brand, Cráneo Organic Mezcal, crafted entirely from espadín, the only variety of wild agave abundant enough to allow for organic production. Achieving both USDA and EU certification was challenging, Ravandi says, "[but] it was well worth adhering to these core principles and craft- ing a spirit with the utmost respect for the environment." 123 Spirits' newest brand, Cráneo Organic Mezcal, made its debut at José Andrés's Washington, D.C. modern Mexican outpost, Oyamel.