The Lost Explorer Mezcal Espadín, 70cl | Award Winning Artisanal Mezcal | 42%

Product Information

We’ll work with what our audience wants, what barmen like, and what we can harvest sustainably. We’ll introduce limited edition blends down the line. Quality and attention to detail connect all three expressions. I found myself sitting in a hut with the tribesmen drinking chicha, a local concoction made from fermented corn, saliva and spices. It’s pretty punchy moonshine and I didn’t want to appear rude, so I drank a lot of it and was getting progressively merry. Mezcal is about discovery—it’s not handed to you on a platter. It had this allure to me—the provenance of the plant, its relationship to the ground and the earth, the smokiness, the artisanal craft. As you start to dig, you realize there’s this incredible heritage and story. I feel like there’s something really magical when you’re making the agave and you’re digging that pit, creating that fire, sitting around and waiting for days—the patience inbuilt to the process allows you to really connect. It still fascinates me to the point where I have become somewhat obsessed by it, which is why we find ourselves producing our mezcal today. Of the 270 species of agave, around 30 can be distilled to make mezcal. In 1994, mezcal received its own denomination of origin, allowing it to be made in only ten Mexican states, although the vast majority of mezcals are made in the mystical valleys of Oaxaca.

Traditionally, consumers are introduced to alcohol brands through “on-trade” channels via such as restaurants, bars and clubs. With hospitality venues shuttered by the pandemic, brands had to move to “off-trade” and “direct to consumer” promotion. Xitlali will one day take the reins of production for The Lost Explorer, so the issue of gender equality is significant to the ongoing relationship between mezcalera and the brand. Xitlali is already stepping up to help grow the sustainable agenda of her family palenque; “I feel that all our sensitivity, vision to grow beyond what we are, and empowerment are what we as women can offer to this industry that men have mainly led in the past.” And while both mezcal and tequila are aged after distillation, mezcal is typically aged less than tequila. In tequila, aging is a main factor that producers can really play with for flavor. With mezcal, we also have the many agave species open for exploration. See below for an overview of how the production processes differ.Choosing these projects to support was a joint management decision for The Lost Explorer team, working closely with the Voice for Nature Foundation. The Lost Explorer’s commitments come from a place of contributing beyond their own business goals and supporting a more sustainable future for the environment and communities of Oaxaca. These specific initiatives were chosen because they would have impact in the immediate short-term, but also longer-term, in addition to supporting the UN Sustainability Goals of Climate Action, Gender Equality and Economic Growth.

While Espadín is the most commonly sourced varietal for mezcal and thus is now less commonly wild-harvested, many of the other wild, rarer varietals—such as Tobalá and Salmiana—involve the time- and labor-intensive process of foraging from their hardscrabble habitats. Another key project actively supported by Lost Explorer is with Isla Urbana (via de Rothschild’s charity Voice for Nature Foundation).Those three principles connect concepts to cash flow, promote cross-functional collaboration and invigorate stakeholder relationships critical to lasting success. Top shelf Commitments in place at the moment include: Don Fortino being a shareholder in the company; rainwater conservation; the use of reclaimed wood; replanting at least three agaves for every agave we distil; creating fertiliser from agave waste; and using solar panels. We’ve also created ‘The Lost Laboratory’, which will play a leading role in the support of environmental improvements in the making of sustainable artisanal mezcal. We’re also interested in making vintage mezcals, where we can pre-sell certain vintages and play with limited editions in a similar way to wine. To achieve that reach, the leadership team devised and implemented a data-driven marketing strategy aimed at both distributors and consumers.

All production partners selected based on environmental ethos, quality and in support of Mexican enterprise Tobalá one of my favourite strains of agave as it’s really herbaceous and produces something very unique. Ours is harvested after a decade and has hints of tobacco, cocoa, vanilla and leather, offering a unique balance between wood aromas and umami flavours. This wide span of agaves eligible for mezcal-making is what excites us most. There is an element of chase in pursuit of the varietal a mezcalero will select for his prized mezcal. More regions and more options of agave means more experimentation, greater nuances, and a big opportunity for biodiversity. TYPES OF MEZCAL It’s important that our distributors, customers and consumers around the world understand the rationale behind our premium price positioning and the value associated with the hand-crafted, small batch production and sustainability credentials of our brand. Each varietal of mezcal comes in a bespoke bottle, made in Mexico from over 55% recycled crystal scraps, is hand-labeled and sealed with natural beeswax sourced from Guadalajara in Mexico,” she detailed. The Espadín will remain our core variant, along with our two wild expressions, Salmiana and Tobalá, depending on what nature provides us with. We love exploring the tastes that come from the different agave strains, so we will look to include new strains and blends of those strains into the range in the future.As an adventurer who’s spent the last 20 years on the road, one of the places where I feel like home, no matter where I am, is around a campfire, sipping a drink and sharing stories. Being able to create something that can explore this concept of community and that sense of togetherness that comes when you’re sitting around a fire, whether literal or metaphorical, is rooted in the commitment to one another as fellow species on this planet. And this, we felt, was something really special.