December has always been one of my most favorite times of year to visit Oaxaca. The weather is perfect and there is a lull in tourism for a few weeks before the Christmas holidays begin in force. It has been amazing to spend 10 days here, visiting palenques, catching up with folks and sipping on some damn good mezcal. It’s also been a bit bittersweet this year.

I went to Txalaparta Bar for the first time since my good friend (and bar owner) Roy had passed in 2021. A large portrait of him created by Oaxacan artist Yescka hangs above the stage, looking down upon patrons dancing to the live music or DJ. I probably wouldn’t have gone if it hadn’t been for the group I was traveling with. It was their first time in Oaxaca and it presented the opportunity to experience that space through the eyes of people who had never been there and who weren’t burdened by memories of the past. It made it so much easier to dance and laugh and drink a little too much just like in the old days but different.

And then there was the visit to San Dionisio to see my friend Don Pedro, the mezcalero who sent me down this crazy mezcal journey. His was the first palenque I ever visited and was the inspiration behind our first Mezcalistas shirt El Prometido and his mezcal fueled many an underground party in the early days of Mezcalistas. He stopped producing mezcal about 8 years ago after an accident in the palenque and we carefully guard what we have in the house; as Don Pedro has told us before, when he dies, his mezcal dies with him. He is now 79, and when I asked him how it was going with his nephew making the mezcal he merely said “I don’t like to speak poorly of other people.” It was a beautiful afternoon, sitting under the tree in his garden, sipping mezcal and snacking on quesillo, semillas and chicharron as we strolled down memory lane. I hope I get to celebrate his 80th year.

Anna Bruce’s latest piece for us on the myths and science behind lunar cycles and mezcal resonated particularly hard for me: maybe because I was in Oaxaca for the full moon, maybe because of the melancholy that is part of this trip, maybe because of the constant challenges of balancing romanticism, mythology and science when talking about mezcal. Her story really nails that balance and I highly encourage you to check it out.

We’ve also got two great pairing pieces from Tess, one is a DIY Sotol tasting, the other a simple pairing of a cupreata from Guerrero with winter squash pastries. Finally, there were a couple of mistakes in the last newsletter having to do with Mexico in a Bottle dates. Huge apologies! I was clearly distracted trying to get everything done before heading to Oaxaca and put in wrong dates for our Chicago and San Francisco events. The final and correct dates are below.

Saludos,

Susan and the Mezcalistas Team

MEZCAL NEWS

MEZCAL EVENTS

• Mexico in a Bottle 2026 save the dates:

  • March 23rd, Washington, DC

  • April 11th, Tucson (in partnership with Agave Heritage Festival)

  • April 26th, Chicago (CORRECTION)

  • October 4th, San Diego

  • November 8th, San Francisco (CORRECTION)

2025 Mezcal Holiday Gift Guide

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