Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/164544
Learning from Tradition Getting it right is the challenging part. From start to finish, handcrafting a genuinely noteworthy tequila or mezcal often exceeds a decade. Then there's the steep learning curve to consider. Learning the nuances of production and acquiring the skill set it requires is equivalent to setting out to earn your Masters. But like a college degree, it only begins to pay dividends when plying your trade in the field, which is why most successful brand owners typically have a resumé loaded with hand-on experience. Few better illustrate this better than Carlos Camarena, owner of Tequila Tapatio. "I learned from one of history's most innovative and brilliant tequileros, my father Don Felipe Camarena, founder of El Tesoro de Don Felipe. After his passing I took his place in the fields, the distillery and our aging cellars with humility and a keen awareness of my commitment to preserve my family's legacy. My father taught me how to make the finest tequila and I will spend the rest of my days in that pursuit." Certainly not everyone in the tequila or mezcal business was born into it. Many have the drive and desire, but lack the technical expertise to take a brand from inception to finished product. So if you weren't fortunate enough to have an accomplished tequilero—or tequila maker—in the family, then what? The first option is to go out and draft a lottery class tequilero and bring him or her into the fold. Armed with your top-notch distiller, you then need to secure a source of agave, build a distillery and warehouse and buy a shipment of oak barrels—most likely white oak barrels from the U.S. or France. "Running a distillery is like operating any other business. To succeed you need to surround yourself with creative, highly skilled people and let them do their jobs," says Larry Large, co-owner and importer of recent arrival Tequila Peñasco 100% de Agave and the co-owner of Tequila Quiote in Atotonilco El Alto. "Creating great tequila requires listening to your senses, listening to your instinct and listening to the talented people around you. It also requires spending more effort on what's inside the bottle than the bottle aside. Why pay for glitz?" Something Marvelous Most people intent on getting into the tequila and mezcal business begin by working with an existing distiller to create something novel and new. Often individuals have a specific flavor profile in mind and work closely with the distiller to achieve the desired product. Blending existing stocks of aging tequila or mezcal, or producing a spirit from the ground up, one can produce something both remarkable and distinctive. With few exceptions, artisanal spirits are made by hand in small batches and reflect the taste and judgment of one individual. No spreadsheets, focus groups or production lines, just one person looking to produce something marvelous. "At the end of the day, I just want to make something I'm proud of and that my family and friends will enjoy drinking. If it sells well, so much the better," opines Tequila Uno's González Gorrochotegui. "I have a deep abiding respect for anyone, man or woman, who commits to making their own brand of tequila or mescal. In fact, when I look at a bottle of new tequila, mezcal, or bourbon for that matter, I see someone's dreams and aspirations. ¡Salud!" So here's to the artisan distiller. The following is a look at some of people behind today's most innovative brands of tequila and mezcal. 122 / the tasting panel / september 2013 TP0913_104-156.indd 122 8/22/13 10:31 PM