About – Madre Mezcal

STORY

It’s said that some of the best mezcal in Oaxaca can be found in reused plastic bottles bought from palenques on otherwise empty dirt roads. These are the dirt roads Madre’s founders set down when they met Jose, Madre’s original and current producer.

STORY

True to tradition, plastic bottles of what would become Madre were brought over the border, making their way to bartenders in Brooklyn, who found creative uses for this mezcal that was less smoky than other available options.

In the past years, Madre has graduated from plastic bottles to hand-poured glass, from the bartender’s secret stash to the top of the cocktail menu, and from a handful of bottles tucked in luggage into a product shared by friends across America and parts of Europe.

Using processes passed as family secrets through generations, Mezcal Artesanal is truly handmade. With commitment to heritage and quality, many families expand very slowly, if at all. As Madre grows, each supplier has grown with us. Producing only as much as they feel comfortable. Each family supplies a unique mezcal that goes into the different Madre expressions.

MEZCALEROS

Using processes passed as family secrets through generations, Mezcal Artesanal is truly handmade. With commitment to heritage and quality, many families expand very slowly, if at all. As Madre grows, each supplier has grown with us. Producing only as much as they feel comfortable. Each family supplies a unique mezcal that goes into the different Madre expressions.

José Inés García Morales and family have been making mezcal in San Dionisio Ocotepec for generations, and were Madre's original partners. Together we have grown. José, Nicholas, and their family continue to provide Madre with Espadín that go into Desert Water and Cuishe that go into Madre Ensamble.

Carlos Mendez Blas and family, based in Santiago Matatlán, started making mezcal in 1930 and remain a family owned business to this day. Carlos and his team produce Madre Espadin, which is also used in Madre Ensamble.

Based in Palmar, Miahuatlán, Natalio Vasquez was a handsome cowboy with a sharp mustache. He also made incredible mezcal before he lost his life for community organizing. His widow Isabel Martínez Rios and family continue to make mezcal despite their loss, and they continue to be part of the Madre family, producing Cuishe used in Madre Ensamble.

Based in Santa Catarina Minas, third-generation mezcalero Moisés Martínez Alvarez stays true to the traditions of this region known for commitment to the old ways. Producing Madre Ancestral from his own blend of Tobasiche and Espadín maguey, Moises and his family honor the origins of mezcal using only hand-crushed agaves and distilling in clay pots.

Madre created Mezcal Learning as an offering to the world to broaden understanding of the spirit we love. The multi-course program, offered through a unique Instagram profile, allows anybody to learn about mezcal in a fun and engaging way. While this program is not the deepest dive into mezcal education, it is a great starting point, offering information in an accessible format. Explore on Instagram at @mezcal.learning

EDUCATION

Madre created Mezcal Learning as an offering to the world to broaden understanding of the spirit we love. The multi-course program, offered through a unique Instagram profile, allows anybody to learn about mezcal in a fun and engaging way. While this program is not the deepest dive into mezcal education, it is a great starting point, offering information in an accessible format. Explore on Instagram at @mezcal.learning