Female Maestra Mezcalera Debuts the True Spirit of Mexican Cultural Renaissance
Pursuitist recently sampled a new ultra-premium artesanal mezcal, ZOMOZ.
ZOMOZ, derived from “Somos” or “We Are,” was created by a tight-knit group with a shared Mexican heritage.
ZOMOZ Mezcal was born in Oaxaca, Mexico during the present-day Contemporary Mexican Renaissance – a vibrant period in history in which Mexican art, architecture, cuisine, fashion, and music have been celebrated worldwide like never before. Created by Latine entrepreneurs Diego De La Vega, Marlene Avitia, Eloy Cantu, and Mike Fonseca, each sip of ZOMOZ is an ode to modern Mexican culture, celebrating their collective triumphs, struggles, and resolve.
“ZOMOZ both fiercely honors our ancestor’s traditional, time-honored mezcal techniques while also creating new contemporary Mexican traditions,” says Co-founder Diego De La Vega. “Despite Mexico’s vibrant influence across every U.S. socioeconomic category, we believe there should be more representation from Mexican-born immigrants and female maestra mezcaleras in the mezcal category. Our luminescent spirit reflects our drinkers’ own spirit and resolve, representing a beautiful, bold, and contemporary Mexican renaissance.”
Traditional Process
ZOMOZ is hand-crafted by fourth-generation Partner and Maestra Mezcalera Isabel Santiago at her family’s organic agave plantation and palenque, ZOMOZ is made from two simple ingredients – organic Espadin and pure spring water, utilizing sacred artisanal techniques.
ZOMOZ’s agave is cooked underground in a conical stone oven fueled by ethically sourced sustainable wood. After roasting, the agave hearts, called “pinas,” are crushed using a traditional stone wheel “tahona,” and then fermented in open pine vats called “tinas.” To achieve the pure, smooth ZOMOZ finish, the Mezcal is distilled twice in traditional copper pot stills and then passed through a proprietary double filtration system before it is bottled. ZOMOZ is 100 percent organic.
Award Winner
ZOMOZ Mezcal recently won Double Gold at the 2023 New York World Wine and Spirits Competition.
The company is committed to making a direct positive impact in the communities it works with. Through their partnership with Productores Ancestrales de Maguey y Mezcal, owned by Isabel Santiago’s family, ZOMOZ creates sustainable economic opportunities and empowers individuals in the region of Oaxaca.
This organic mezcal is simply delicious and refreshing on the rocks with an orange slice or as the perfect mixer for your favorite mezcal-based cocktails including mezcal margaritas.
ZOMOZ Mezcal is available for retail purchase in California and for online orders in 35 markets across the United States on ReserveBar.com.
