Divided Spirits

Gastropod (awesome podcast) explored Denomination of Origin (DO) for mezcal and tequila in their episode Mescal: Everything but the Worm.

The DO ties things like Champagne and Roquefort cheese to a specific area and enforces specific methods unique to the product. Tequila was the first successful DO outside of Europe in 1974 and secured tequila as a uniquely Mexican product in the face of Spain and South Africa marketing drinks as tequila prior to the designation.

In terms of market growth and the explosion of premium tequila brands the DO has been a huge success. In terms of environmental sustainability, preservation of cultural traditions, fair wages and working conditions for rural workers, the DO hasn't done much at all.

The DO favours practices that align with growth and the industrialization of tequila. It allows for the adulteration of tequila up to 49%, the use of autoclaves and diffusers. What was once made from over a dozen different agave plants, the DO now limits it to blue agave creating an especially susceptible to disease monoculture. These are the mistakes that mescal is trying to avoid.

It's no secret to anyone who knows me that I'm a fan of tequila. Not exactly an easy proposition here in Ontario where it's downright disheartening to see what actually makes it across our borders. This was an immensely readable dissertation and has left me wanting to explore mezcal now too. Unfortunately here in Ontario the availability of mezcal makes tequila seem like an embarrassment of riches.