Inside Maguey Melate
Inside Maguey Melate is your monthly gateway into the fascinating world of Mexican distilled spirits. Each edition brings you fresh insights into the history, culture, and craftsmanship behind these time-honored drinks. From field to bottle, we uncover the stories of the maestros, the traditions that endure, and the innovations shaping the future. Whether you’re here to learn, explore, or simply appreciate, this blog is your place to connect with the soul of Mexico—one sip at a time.
An Unofficial Raicilla Superstar: June 2026
An Unofficial Raicilla Superstar And One of the Last Clay Pot Jalisco Alembics - Written by Chava Peribán - (Excuse my Spanglish) Enter Non-DO Raicilla Last month, we spent some time talking about the Dasylirions from Sonora, which, by law, must be called "Palmilla"...
Vinatero of May 2026
The Mysterious Palmilla The non-DO Dasylirion - Written by Chava Peribán - (Excuse my Spanglish) The weird world of Dasylirion Most people in this club have heard about and sipped Sotol in the past. Be it your humble Flor de Desierto or the very specific...
Soltero de April : The Delicious Desert
The Delicious Desert Biodiversity Distilled - Written by Chava Peribán - (Excuse my Spanglish) Why Care About Biodiversity? Right before I started writing this newsletter, I saw a short video featuring the biologist Marc-André Selosse, who talked about biodiversity...
Mezcalera de Marzo and Chumilín (aka Mexican Wasabi)
Chumilín (aka Mexican Wasabi) Agave, Water, Yeast, and Cheekiness - Written by Chava Peribán - (Excuse my Spanglish) Sweet Victory! Presenting this Chumilín to all you dear club members is one of the biggest joys I've had since I started working with spirits. It took...
Mezcalera of February 2026
Back to Oaxaca A Never-Ending Exploration Why Oaxaca? In 2023, we made a point of bottling only agave spirits from every other corner of Mexico, except for Oaxaca. About 75% of the mezcal sold in Mexico and abroad comes from Oaxaquita, even though many other...
Mezcalero of the Month January 2026
Aguascalientes A Territory You've Never Tasted Before Chava's Gamble* Chava Peribán here, as per usual, writing this newsletter that is both a challenge and a lot of fun. I thought a lot about this newsletter's title and decided to claim that no one in the club has...
Mezcalero of December 2025
Your Chance to Taste Pulque* The Oldest Agave Booze An honest disclaimer* First of all, no, we are not shipping fresh pulque. We've been known to be fans of exporting difficult products (do you guys remember the worm salt that Dalton had to get into the US in his own...
Mezcalero of November 2025 and Our Traditional Pechuga
Our Traditional November Pechuga Guava Leaves Pack a Punch On Pechugas Pechugas, within the agave spirits multiverse, definitely carry a unique mystic. Unlike other versions of luxury expressions, such as capones or madurados en vidrio, pechugas go beyond mere...
Vinatero of September
Maguey Chino The Definition of Balance The everyday exceptional You can't drink the rarest, most powerful things every day. Even if one could afford it, we believe certain flavors should be like rare bird sightings. Sometimes it is nice to create a bit of...
Vinatero of August 2025
Michoacán, King of Funky A deep dive into A. inaequidens A quick guide to this box. First of all, it is essential to note that this is a deep dive box; all the spirits featured in it were produced by Miguel Ortiz Villagomez at Cañada del Agua, Michoacán. In this...
