Los Misterios is the latest mezcal to be taking the world by waves. The clay pot distilled mezcal is known for its unique flavour that comes at a sacrifice as the spirit loses a considerable amount of liquid during production. We speak to Co-Founder Eduardo Mestre to learn more about the clay pot distilled mezcals.
Clay Pot Distilled Mezcal by Los Siete Misterios
Los Siete Misterios is founded by brothers Julio Mestre and Eduardo Mestre, a mezcal distillery that is known for its clay pot distillation process. This style of process only accounts for 1% of mezcal production, but has been taking the world by storm due to its unique flavours. Although the pure expressions should be sipped on its own, it’s the ensambles that go amazingly well in cocktails, which made them an apt sponsor for the World’s 50 Best Bars Los Siete Misterios Best New Menu category.
Can you tell us about Siete Misterios?
It all started around 15 years ago, we used to travel a lot to Puerto Escondido in Oaxaca, and that’s where I had my first introduction to mezcal. Around 2007 we were tasting excellent mezcals during a road trip from Puerto Escondido to Oaxaca City and stopped in Sola de Vega, where Los Siete Misterios was born. After tasting those incredible clay pot distilled mezcals, yep, clay pot, not the traditional copper still ones, Julio and I knew that Mezcal would be an essential part of our lives. After some time traveling and drinking Mezcal, we knew that we had to share them with everyone we could, and after some planning, we decided to launch the brand in 2010.
We created the brand and company with only one thing in mind: to preserve the mezcal-making traditions, as well as to promote local commerce and stimulate the culture of small mezcal producers, all of this with a contemporary approach. Thus, we could relive the past and match it with the present time, combining the best of both worlds. We remain respectful of one of the purest essences: the mezcal, a genuine Mexican heritage.
After achieving the latter, we reached a new identity, a symbiosis of what already is familiar and what is still yet to be discovered. The legends and mysteries of Mexico, our land, were our source of inspiration to start a quest, looking for a beverage that fully represents the Mexican customs, culture, and of course, the passion that goes along with every Mexican product.
What does Siete Misterios mean?
It has to do with converting people into Mezcal; when we started being real aficionados, we thought it would be nice to invite people to try and love mezcal, so we created 7 mezcal steps for the adventurers out there brave enough to try them all. The first step was the Espadín, moving through Barril, Mexicano, Arroqueño, Coyote and Tobalá… for the last Misterio, we had “Puntas” which is a high ABV mezcal around 75%. According to us, when you tried all and loved them, you became a true mezcal aficionado.
Can you tell us a bit about the philosophy of Siete Misterios?
Our drive is to preserve and maintain the tradition and manners of how Mezcal is made and consumed in each region. We work with Mezcalero families that have been producing Mezcal for over 3 generations. We don’t push the production of any agave, and we work and produce only with the mature agaves available. That’s why our “Olla de Barro” expressions are so hard to find from time to time.
What are the types of agave used in making Siete Misterios?
We use Espadín, Barril, Mexicano, Coyote, Arroqueño, Tobalá, Cuishe, Tepeztate, Sierra Negra, Jabalí, and other very special releases made from available mature agaves.
How is your process different from other mezcal producers?
I could say that clay pot distillation is what makes us so unique and different. Clay pot distillation accounts for less than 1% of all mezcal production. This mezcal is a rarity due to the considerable loss of liquid in comparison to copper pot distillation, but it is something that we want to preserve.
How many expressions are there?
Currently, we have 13. Doba Yej being our flagship Mezcal, an Espadín distilled in Copper Still from the regions of Matatlán, San Dionisio or Yautepec. The Clay Pot or Ancestral line are Espadín, Barril, Mexicano, Coyote, Arroqueño, and Tobalá, and occasionally we will have a special release. The Pechuga is our special celebration mezcal, having 3 distillations instead of 2, and distilled with seasonal fruits and a turkey breast. Finally, we have the Ensambles, which are new mezcals that we launched last year and will be blends of Espadin/Cuishe, Espadin/Mexicanito, Espadín/Tobalá, and Espadín/Tepeztate.
What is a common misconception about mezcal that people have?
For some time, there was a misconception that authentic mezcal was the liquid with the worm in it, but I feel that now that has shifted. Another misconception that we hear frequently is that mezcal is a smoky tequila when in actuality, tequila is a subcategory of mezcal. What is very important is that now there is a lot of curiosity and education regarding the category, so we feel that most consumers are informed about our lovely spirit.
Tell us something about Siete Misterios that people might not know.
That there’s a secret story behind all the clay pot labels, about our friend Porfirio who has to escape from his home town to gets to Oaxaca, where he discovers and learns about mezcal, with the help of 2 sisters Rosario and Frida, who are daughters of a Maestro Mezcalero. However, this is a work in process…
When will Siete Misterios be available in Malaysia?
We hope that by the end of the summer.
| PHOTOGRAPHY: LOS SIETE MISTERIOS | WEBSITE: LOS SIETE MISTERIOS |