Скачать или смотреть Impact of mezcal on community landscapes with Cuca Ramos

Producing any agricultural product requires a delicate balance between human needs and environmental sustainability, and mezcal along with other agave distillates are no exception. Unfortunately, in the drive to satisfy consumer demand, natural resources and the communities that depend on them often suffer.

According to a 2023 Mongabay article, in Oaxaca alone where 85% of mezcal is produced, 25,000 families rely on its production for at least part of their livelihoods. When we consider that this number mainly represents certified, commercial batches in the state, the number of families impacted by mezcal increases dramatically when you account for other parts of Mexico, and even more when you factor in families who choose to share their spirits in more localized ways.

Cuca Cortéz Ramos is from one of those families. A maestra mezcalera based in Santa María La Pila, Cuca's introduction to mezcal production came at the age of 8 as she helped her father work in multiple distilleries across their community. As she helped him by carrying agave hearts and adding water to pots, she learned more about the process and became captivated by the transformation of agave from plant to spirit.

Today, this passion guides her work as a master producer at the Mezcal Cortéz distillery where she uses her family's artisanal processes to craft mezcal for brands such as Beu Spirits and Vaca Loca. For Cuca, the slow intricacies of mezcal production is at the core of its identity.

"Well, to make mezcal, everything has to be done with love and passion. You have to like doing it, not neglect it because many people neglect it. You start working and think, "Ah, I'm going to do it because it's money." No, no, it's also love for what you're doing, and that's why your mezcals are very rich."

It's this balance of patience, passion, and authenticity that's the driving force for producers we work with. Take a listen as Cuca shares the impact of profit over people where the environment is sacrificed to meet the bottom line and what it means for communities that call these lands home.

COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT
Santa María La Pila, Oaxaca, Mexico
Location: La Pila is situated within the municipality of Miahuatlán de Porfirio Díaz and is about 2 hours outside of Oaxaca de Juárez.
Environmental Significance: A small village with a population of 342 according to the 2020 census, La Pila's terrain is home to Espadin, Vicuishe, Tepeztate, Madrecuishe, Azulín, Sierra Negra, Tobaziche, and Barril agave.

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