If you’ve spent any time in the United States, you’ll have noticed that tequila is a much more ubiquitous drink on the other side of the pond. Sadly, we in the UK have not, until very recently, been able to partake to anywhere near the same extent, and have remained largely in the dark. Thankfully, we’re starting to catch up, and the past decade has seen a rise in tequila and its lesser-known relative, mezcal, making the journey over. If you’ve ever wondered what the difference is but were too embarrassed to ask, then Milagros has teamed up with Sin Gusano to help elucidate you! And if you’re a seasoned connoisseur, then this is an opportunity to come and sample some of the mezcals on offer.
Tequila, though more famous by virtue of its role in margaritas, is actually a subcategory of mezcal. Mezcal is made from the cooked heart, or piña, of an agave plant (pictured above). You may recognise them – they’re always a mainstay of botanic gardens. In Mexico, mezcal is traditionally served neat, with orange slices or spices on the side as an accompaniment. It’s strong, with a clean, fiery taste.
Jon Darby founded Sin Gusano, an itinerant pop-up mezcaleria, as a labour of love, to bring mezcal further afield. Jon travels throughout Mexico, to small and sometimes tiny distilleries to find mezcals which reflect the diversity and wilderness of their terroir. Many of them have never before been imported to the UK.
To celebrate Milagros’s collaboration with La Muerte Tiene Permiso (see our last newsletter) for Shoreditch Design Week, Milagros will be hosting Sin Gusano next Thursday, September 19th, between 6 and 9pm, for an evening of mezcal and beers. There will be a free mezcal for each guest halfway through the evening, when Jon will give a brief talk about the drink and Sin Gusano’s work. Join us to share Mexico’s contemporary artisanal heritage in design and drinks and view the La Muerte Tiene Permiso collection with founder Omar Ortiz Franco. We hope to see you there – salud!
Sin Gusano’s educational mezcal box sets will also be available to purchase from Milagros for the duration of Shoreditch Design Triangle (14th – 22nd September). There are two boxes to choose from: The Regional Variety and Agave Variety. Each set contains three 150ml bottles of rare agave spirits, three traditional mezcal drinking glasses from Oaxaca, and three placemats, which conveniently are also tasting notes. The regional set consists of distillates from the EspadÃn agave, showcasing the terroir of different regions. The agave set contains distillates from rare and wild agave species from the Oaxaca valley, showcasing differing plant characteristics. The boxes are fully recyclable, built to order in London, and sealed with paper hand-made by artisans in Oaxaca from the fibres of the magical agave plant.
