Getting In Touch with My Filipino Roots Via Mezcal
Sometimes you learn about something in the most unexpected places. I was at a distributor portfolio tasting right before Essex Pearl opened and tasted Raicilla, which is essentially the “mezcal of Jalisco” since only mezcal produced in Oaxaca can be called that name. It was at that tasting where I found out something really awesome about Filipinos–Filipinos contributed to mezcal production.
Bonete Raicilla is a collection of agave spirits from Jalisco, Mexico. The Raicilla category is still small, but it’s cool to have at home or on the back bar.
Yeah, who (besides maybe some other Filipinos who have been doing the beverage thing longer than I have) knew? I thought it was a fluke until the nerdy part of me went down the Internet rabbit hole of research. Here’s the CliffNotes version how the Filipinos influenced mezcal production:
The Spanish Galleon trade, courtesy of Wikipedia.
One of the stills used in mezcal production, courtesy of Allipus.com.
The first record of mezcal was in 1619 during the Galleon trade as well as the Filipino migration to Colima, Mexico and when the first alembic stills were brought over [1].
Like many colonial trade routes, the specific Manila Galleon trade route established a connection between the Philippines and Mexico to import porcelain, silk, ivory, and spices from China [2].
Mexico City was the home of the Spanish Crown’s Viceroyalty of New Spain.
Alembic stills–sometimes referred to as Filipino stills–have a graceful design based on Moorish traditions and were widely used throughout the Iberian Peninsula and Southern Europe [3].
Filipinos who migrated to Colima, Mexico brought over Tuba, an alcoholic beverage of fermented coconut sap consumed in the Philippines since pre-Colonial times [4].
The Filipinos who migrated were predominantly either sailors or slaves.
The fermentation and distillation techniques of Tuba production were applied to agave spirit production.
It feels a little lame to finally be learning something about my culture that isn’t about nursing, American colonization, or toxic socializing. But better to know about it now than later.
I’ve always loved mezcal. Even before the spirit hit its stride in 2014-2015, I cold-ordered mezcal cocktails off menus (I was actually talked down to by some server who rudely asked “do you know what mezcal is?” and I said “Yeah” and gave her a “bitch please look”). With this information, I feel a deeper connection with the spirit. I even make sure there’s one cocktail on my beverage menu that features this amazingly complex spirit. When it comes to drinking mezcal at home, I like to keep it simple with these five go-to cocktails.
Xila (pronounced Shiela) is an herbal liqueur with a mezcal base. Botanicals include ancho chili pepper, black pepper, caramelized pineapple, hibiscus, lavender, cinnamon, and cloves, and the liqueur is easy to drink as a digestif (20% ABV). Xila is the first micro distillery in Mexico City and is female owned and operated.
Xila Killa
Spritzes are a creative person’s dream since they are such a great canvas for different ingredients and new spirits such as Xila.
I tried Xila at a tasting and instantly fell in love with the liqueur’s flavors of caramelized pineapple, chili, and cinnamon. It just so happens that Xila is a mezcal based liqueur (bonus points for being woman owned). My initial plan was to make a mulled wine with it, but a spritz is more refreshing and wouldn’t lose the flavors of the liqueur. Hence, this beauty. An extra ounce of mezcal enhances Xila’s mezcal base.
1.00oz Mezcal of your choice (I currently have the Lagrimas de Dolores Cenizo Joven at home, but any other espadin works)
0.50oz Xila Liqueur
0.25oz Fresh lemon juice
0.25oz Demerara syrup
2.00oz Prosecco
Dehydrated pineapple slice garnish
Shake all ingredients except the Prosecco in a shaker tin full of ice for 10 seconds.
Double strain into a wine glass with ice, top with Prosecco, and garnish with a dehydrated pineapple slice.
Chef TJ Steele of Claro BK wanted to find a quality, handcrafted mezcal with a good value that pairs well with food and brought over El Búho. El Búho Mezcal is currently owned and operated by the fifth generation of the Jimenez Mendez family in Oaxaca.
Naked and Famous
I love a good equal parts cocktail. You don’t need to look up a recipe. You get Yellow Chartreuse if you’re down to spend a little extra; otherwise, you get a bottle of Dolin Genepy for a better value. Since I want to taste herbal liqueur and the orange aperitif more, I prefer a mezcal with a subtle smokiness. That’s where the El Búho Espadin comes in. El Búho Espadin’s hints of baking spice and herbs balances its smokiness so it enhances the Dolin Genepy and Cappelletti. If you want the East Asian rendition of this cocktail, substitute yuzu juice for the lime juice.
Los Siete Misterios was founded in 2010 by brothers Julio and Eduardo Mestre with the intent of keeping traditional mezcal production at the forefront of the mezcal industry. The brothers are dedicated to small batch production of the different species of mezcal.
Pandaño Fashioned
The Oaxacan Old Fashioned is one of those stirred cocktails for those who aren’t whiskey fans (I can’t believe those people exist). To test the boundaries of this Death & Co classic, why not flip the ingredients so the mezcal’s in the forefront and make it Southeast Asian because infusions are fun.
I was inspired to make pandan mezcal when I had the Pandan Express from The NoMad. I saw the recipe for pandan-infused scotch in their cocktail book and decided to make pandan mezcal. I figured it’d have similar tasting notes just with a different spirit. The experiment resulted in a harmonious dance of vanilla, coconut, mint, white pepper, and burnt birch. The drink itself is a great nightcap for a hot summer day.
1.50oz Pandan mezcal
0.50oz Reposado tequila
1 Barspoon of demerara syrup
2 Dashes of Reagan’s Orange Bitters
Lime twist garnish
Pour all ingredients in a mixing glass full of ice and stir for 20 seconds.
Strain into a rocks glass with a large rock and garnish with a lime twist.
Pandan Mezcal (shelf life: indefinitely)
3 Frozen pandan leaves, finely chopped
1 750ml Bottle of mezcal of your choice
Combine chopped pandan leaves and mezcal in a 32oz mason jar.
Infuse at 160°F for 3 hours with a sous vide machine.
Strain into a mixing cup, rebottle in mezcal bottle, date, and store in the refrigerator.
The Gutierrez family of Lagrimas de Dolores has been experimenting with and producing mezcal in Durango for 9 years. They are focused on other varieties of mezcal such as Cenizo–a variety that thrives in high altitudes and has intense flavors or rich earth tones and savory smokiness.
Sumatra Esplanade
When you think tiki drinks, your mind automatically goes to rum. Imbibe’s Esplanade Swizzle flips the tiki script with mezcal at the forefront. This drink isn’t overly sweet with the amontillado sherry, falernum, and lime juice. I made a ginger-cubeb berry peppercorn syrup to add more floral, savory notes in this variation.
Ginger-Cubeb Berry Peppercorn Syrup(shelf life: three weeks)
50.00g Fresh ginger, peeled and minced
25.00g Whole cubeb berry peppercorns
340.50g White sugar
340.50g Water
Combine fresh ginger and white sugar in a jar and let it sit at room temperature for 20 minutes.
While the fresh ginger macerates in the white sugar, toast the whole cubeb berry peppercorns and boil water.
After the 20 minute maceration time, combine the fresh ginger, white sugar, toasted cubeb berry peppercorns, and boiled water in the jar and stir until the sugar has dissolved.
Infuse at 160°F for 3 hours with a sous vide machine.
Strain into a quart container or jar, date, and store in the refrigerator.
Ilegal was originally created to supply founder John Rever’s bar in Guatamala. It’s that good that it’s now nationally distributed. The Reposado mezcal is aged for six months in new and used American oak. Mr. Black then used the oak barrels used for aging the Reposado mezcal to age their signature coffee liqueur and add herbaceous, baking spice complexity.
Espresso Martini
Espresso martinis have been trending for the past five years. Guests asked me recently to make them with either tequila or mezcal. This has been so frequent that I made a mezcal espresso martini. I made it with reposado mezcal instead of regular mezcal. I figured the baking spice complexity from oak aging wouldn’t clash with Mr. Black’s coffee liqueur. I was right. For added chocolate notes, add 2-3 dashes of Fee’s Brothers Aztec Chocolate Bitters.
Mezcal use in cocktails has been pushed beyond its typical juice and margarita variations in the past few years. Its possibilities will continue to be pushed. However, the mezcal origin story of Filipino influence on this spirits’ production is still relatively unknown. I know whenever I tell guests about this connection they are pleasantly surprised. The more I tell this story, the more I feel proud to be Filipino (not that I wasn’t before, it’s just cool to see how my culture is related to my career). Now, let me enjoy my Sumatra Esplanade or even a native varietal mezcal on the rocks with 7-Up Prawns and Pancit.
