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What a day!

We, a group of 6 agave specialists, tried and tasted over 70 different agave spirits and I’m tremendously excited to find out which brands we awarded Silver and Gold medals to.

Winning an ISC award is such a huge achievement for anyone in the spirits business as it truly shows how great the product is.

We scrupulously tasted each one and discussed each independently whether they would or wouldn’t deserve (in our professional and unbiased opinions) an award.

It was incredible! I never thought that out of over 70 agave spirits we would give out an award to 90%! It goes to show that the Tequila and Mezcal (and Bacanora!) categories are booming with great brands and it won’t slow down!

Here’s to trying many more agave spirits and let them all be delicious! Salud!

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My favourite question that was asked was this:

What trends have you noticed in the drinks industry?

Although trends come and go I don’t believe that agave spirits fall in to that idea.

More and more people are becoming increasingly aware of the impact our consumerism has on the world itself and, in regards to this subject, the impact on agaves and therefore their natural habitats and pollinators.

The fact that we’re all beginning to look behind the brands is huge. We’re paying more attention to where something is made, how and by whom. This is as relevant in the drinks industry as it is in the food, clothing, and many more industries.

As consumers we have the power to choose what we want to support, and that is a beautiful thing. The items I have chosen to import all have a story, are either distillery or Mexican owned and most importantly all have production processes and ethical practises I wish to support and also enable economic growth within these small communities in rural parts of Mexico. I also have a range of items available that are imported by others, which also tick the above boxes in terms of production and ethical practises and so I wanted to support my fellow agave family in the UK by stocking and, where I can, promote their products.

Salud!

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On our last trip to Mexico in November we met with the fantastic producers Graciela, Edgar and Adriana of the palenque Real Minero. There they focus on the diversity of agaves and studying their reproduction/pollination, alongside making very precious ancestral Mezcal.

The work of Real Minero is dedicated to the sustainability of the maguey and their family run palenque is even reviving almost extinct agave species back to health. A few years ago after the sad passing of Don Lorenzo Angeles Mendoza his daughters Graciela and Adriana and son Edgar launched a project called Proyecto LAM, honouring their father by naming this project after him.

Don Lorenzo always taught his children to care for and respect the agave. He would say: ‘Sin maguey, no hay mezcal’ (Without agaves, there is no mezcal), and that is a world I wouldn’t care to live in!!

Alongside the Proyecto LAM we have started supporting another great in the world of sustainability: The Bat Man of Mexico!

The Bat Friendly Tequila and Mezcal Project, started by Dr Rodrigo Medellin, who is a professor at the Institute of Ecology of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), encourages producers of agave spirits to allow between 2% and 5% of their agave fields to flower.

Feel free to check out our recently launched Charities page to find out more about these two fabulous projects and how you can make a difference!

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My hubby and I had a fabulous evening and very much enjoyed being around such a tremendous group of ladies who were all deserving of so much through their hard work, dedication and strength.

Viva las damas!!

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As consumers of this remarkable liquid it is in our hands who we support and why. Whether we support cost cutting methods in comparision to those traditional, or support the sustainable harvest, the fair trade and supporting the local economies and families who have been making Mezcal for generations.

“Mezcal naturally attracts the conscientious consumer, but being a conscientious consumer of mezcal is not easy. Barely a day goes by without hearing of issues of sustainability, or the latest conglomerate buying up a piece of the ever-growing mezcal pie. When a category explodes in popularity at the pace mezcal has, the minor issues of yesterday can be amplified into the crises of tomorrow. The uncompromising cogs of global consumerism are turning, and they may be on a collision course with the spirit we love.”

For the full article please follow this link: TT Liquor- Tom Bartram

Photo Credit: Anna Bruce Photography

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 ‘Porque solo lo autentico perdura’ (‘Because only the authentic endures’)

My objective with Casa Agave has always been to promote the category through education and sampling of my products and therefore completing the cycle of growth by bringing money back to those hard workers who make our favourite spirits in Mexico and so it makes me very proud to have been part of an article written about the future of Mezcal in such a widely acclaimed magazine, which is dedicated to the world of spirits.

Regarding the best way to move forward for the ‘boom’ awaiting Mezcal is of course for all producers to grow agaves sustainably and for larger brands to cultivate them, leaving a percentage to be pollinated naturally, thereby supporting the endemic ecosystem. Because of the time it takes for even an Espadin or Tequilana Weber to grow (min 7 years), this practise should have started years ago for large scale brands/agave growers, and so the production may fall behind for larger brands.

I believe that the small batch producers like La Medida and Real Minero are the ones that will still stand strong regardless what happens on a large scale, as they have always and always will grow their agaves in a sustainable fashion with respect to nature, practising artisan methods. To quote Real Minero’s slogan ‘ Only the authentic will endure’.

As people are becoming more aware of how we live effects the environment I am certain that this is partly the reason why something as natural as artisan Mezcal is experiencing a boom!

With La Medida only using wild agaves or silvestres and bottling them straight of the still (with the exception of the cultivated Espadin, for the larger market and to be used in cocktails) it is a perfect example of how to make a delicious product and at the same to balance its production with mother nature, supporting the bats and the birds who pollinate their matured agaves.

Both Real Minero and La Medida have won awards and certifications that prove how much they care for their product and environment.

Follow this link to their website and see below the article for you to peruse:

Drinks International

Drink Mezcal and be happy!

Saludos, Jen

The post Drinks International Feature appeared first on Casa Agave.

Starting in Bournemouth with the wonderful guys at Ojo Rojo, we then travelled to London to the newly opened The Stratford, followed by a trip to Bristol at Masa + Mezcal, after which we went to Sheffield’s Pina and ended in happy Nottingham down the Rabbit hole and our very own sister bar: 400 Rabbits.

It was wonderful getting to spend some time with Eric, and I certainly enjoyed meeting all the people at our tastings which were sponsored by 30-30 Tequila, Tapatio, La Medida, Corte Vetusto and Real Minero!

Not sure how on earth we’ll beat such a great event next year, but here’s to trying: Salud!!

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The post The Tequila Dictionary Tour appeared first on Casa Agave.

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We all know that Tequila is one of the most versatile spirits out there and the amount of possibilities with a Margarita are endless! On the rocks, frozen, flavoured, twists, tommy’s, jello shots, ice lollies… but where did it all start?? A simple question with many possible answers involving Marjorie King unable to drink anything but Tequila and a cocktail being created for her, others around Margarita Sames, a socialite who created the drink for her friends and one of whom popped it on the bar menu at one of his hotels (Hilton)…

In my opinion, the most likely origin is the classic Daisy cocktail, not only does the name translate to Margarita in Spanish but also the ingredients are: A base spirit, sugar or sweetener and a sour component. Sound familiar?

Let’s all celebrate National Margarita Day with homemade Margaritas and experiment with our own recipes!

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The Classic Margarita:

50ml 100% agave Tequila Blanco

25ml Fresh lime juice

20ml Orange liqueur

Tools: Cocktail shaker and strainer

Glass: Ideally a champagne coupette

Garnish: lime wheel and salt

Method: Prepare your (chilled) glassware by rimming it with salt. Add all ingredients to the shaker add cubed ice and start shaking. Strain the liquid in to your glass, add the lime garnish and enjoy!

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Simple right?!

Let’s now ‘shake it up a bit’ and have a look at a hugely popular variant of the classic:

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The Tommy’s Margarita:

50ml 100% agave Tequila Blanco

25ml Fresh lime juice

20ml Agave syrup

Tools: Cocktail shaker and strainer

Glass: Rocks

Garnish: lime wheel

Method: Fill your glass with cubed ice. Add all ingredients to the shaker add cubed ice and start shaking. Strain the liquid in to your glass, add the lime garnish and enjoy!

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Now we know the basics you can experiment and create some yummy Margaritas yourselves!

Try substituting the sweet ingredient to start with. I.e. try different types of orange liqueurs; or instead of an orange liqueur, try a watermelon liqueur, a strawberry liqueur, etc

Then you could perhaps change the base to a 100% Reposado or Anejo Tequila OR use a different agave spirit like Mezcal or Raicilla!

You can even change the way you actually make the drink:  Blend it up with ice and have it frozen, pop it in the freezer and have a sorbet, add agar agar and have it as jelly… the methods are endless…

Switch out the lime perhaps with fresh grapefruit or fresh orange juice. Freshly squeezed is key!

After that perhaps experiment with the garnish! You’ll be surprised at how much of a difference that can make: whether a lime wedge or lime peel, orange zest or a spritz of absinthe… anything goes and will delicately change your experience

You don’t need to use salt to rim your glass, if you prefer a sweet strawberry Margarita then maybe try with a brown sugar rim, or if you enjoy spice rim your glass with a chilli, or perhaps even some Sal de Gusano (worm salt) or Tajin (lime, chilli, salt)

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The most important rule is to enjoy, don’t over complicate and always remember: No one will ever be able to beat The Classic Margarita!

Salud!

Jen

The post National Margarita Day | 22nd February 2019 appeared first on Casa Agave.

Having launched last year as importers and promoters of all thing’s agave, Casa Agave is very proud to announce the latest addition to their range: Mezcal Real Minero!

Real Minero: ‘Porque solo lo autentico perdura’ (‘Because only the authentic endures’)

Considered across the globe as one of the finest mezcal producers, the family has been making mezcal for many generations in Santa Catarina Minas. They are famed for their traditional approach using natural fermentation and small clay pot stills giving their product a smoother and softer character in comparison to many others available

Follow this link for the full article:

Drinks Enthusiast

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