On an enchanted evening in Breda, Stappen & Shoppen organized a mezcal tasting at an indoor beach location in Breda. Accompanied by enthusiasts, bartenders and catering entrepreneurs, we got acquainted with the not yet so well-known spirit Mezcal. Expert Jeroen Schweitz provided us with the historical background, cultural significance and traditional process in which Mezcal is offered to the world. The presentation was capped off with an unique tasting session in which many types and brands of Mezcal were sampled.

The mezcal industry, in the state of Oaxaca in particular, has had its recent issues, most of which have been noted in print and through gossip networks. They’ve  come to the fore primarily in Mexico and in those American states where there is now a plethora of mezcalerías and bars carrying a significant complement of the agave based spirit.

They include: the pros and cons of the regulatory board’s current dictates, and enforcement; the maguey shortage, and the disappearance of wild species; the production, consumption and distribution of “agave distillate;” the adverse environmental impact; the intrusion of multi-nationals into the mezcal business and the future of artisanal production.

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