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Cocktails

Classification

Interest

The History of Vallet Bitters

bitters

Monsieur Henri VALLET emigrated to Mexico from France during the brief reign of Maximilian, the ill-fated French monarch who was deposed by Mexican nationalists three short years after his 1864 ascent as Emperor of Mexico.  Like other French émigrés of the era, Mnsr. Henri VALLET chose to remain in his adopted homeland, and by the [...]

Mezcal FAQs

A typical earthen oven for roasting maguey hearts.

What is “Mezcal”? Mezcal is a classification of agave-based spirits distilled within the territorial boundaries of Mexico’s Denomination of Origin for the category. As initially determined in 1994, five states were permitted to produce spirit called “Mezcal”: Oaxaca, Guerrero, Durango, San Luis Potosi & Zacatecas. In 2000, the states of Jalisco, Michoacán and Guanajuato were [...]

How Is Tequila Made?

Tequila Agave Plant Photographed by Kurt Stüber

Tequila manufacture starts with the blue agave plant. After planting, agave is watched for ripening, an astonishing 8 to 12 years. The plant leaves are then cut, and the core, called a piña, is pulled from the ground. The piña, aptly named because of its resemblance to a pineapple, usually weighs 40 to 70 pounds. [...]