Paquera creates Wagyu mezcal

Ancestral mezcal producer Paquera has released two limited edition expressions, including one made with Wagyu beef.

To be acknowledged as an ancestral mezcal, the liquid must be made entirely by traditional methods, without the use of modern equipment or stainless steel. The brand’s Ancestral Mezcal with Wagyu uses open-range Tajima Wagyu from Arrington Ranch in Twin Bridges, Montana. Describing the production method, the brand said the Wagyu was ‘twice wrapped in twine and suspended within the clay pots during the first part of the distillation process’. From here, the meat’s flavours drip slowly into the claypot as the mezcal is produced, creating an 'amazing buttery finish'. The other new expression Paquera has created is Mezcal Artesanal with Mango. A seasonal release, this makes use of two different types of mangoes from Amatengo Ejutla, plus Capón Espadin agave. Described as pairing the 'spirit of Oaxaca with rich and bright notes of mango', it is designed to be sipped slowly. Ancestral Mezcal with Wagyu (48% ABV) retails for US$230, while Mezcal Artesanal with Mango (46% ABV) can be purchased for US$109. Both are available from Paquera's website. Based in Los Angeles, the brand makes small-batch mezcal in cooperation with a network of maestro mezcaleros in the district of Ejutla de Crespo, Oaxaca, Mexico. It has a mission of supporting the region’s mezcal-producing families and communities. Recently, Chicago-based Hoste cocktails used Paquera's mezcal as the base of its Mezcal Negroni.