This past June Joahna Hernandez and I had the opportunity to visit Michoacan with the Heavy Metl team and it was great to finally visit the Palomas Mensajeras vinata. I had met mezcalero Don Miguel Ángel Pérez Reséndiz and his sons first at a Maestros del Mezcal event in Mexico City in 2022 and then in 2023 when he and his wife Manuela and daughter Esperanza participated in our Chicago Mexico in a Bottle event. They have been fixtures at the event since then and when the opportunity presented itself to visit, we went.

It was my intention to write the profile but then I asked Joahna to do it as there was just something in my gut that told me she would find a way into the story in a way that I wouldn’t. And man oh man, did she. What emerged is a story about choosing to remain in a place as people move on, in this case to Chicago for better opportunities. It is often forgotten that Chicago is home to the second largest Mexican-American community in the US, eclipsed only by Los Angeles. The “Mexican” neighborhoods of Pilsen and Little Village are vibrant and full of successful and nationally recognized small businesses, think Carnitas Uruapan, Moreno’s Liquors and the National Museum of Mexican Art to name a few. And these neighborhoods along with several others across the city have been under siege for months in an alleged crackdown on “the worst of the worst”, taking a toll on businesses and the local economy. But the communities have held strong and courts have continually ruled against the actions by ICE.

Joahna’s piece is an ode to the ties that exist between both Mexico and Chicago, and frankly the US in general, told through a family’s experience. “In a state that exports fruit and mezcal—and people—the Pérez family remains rooted while still reaching across borders. Their ability to move fluidly between Michoacán and Chicago represents more than migration—it represents circulation. Just as bats pollinate maguey across long distances, families like theirs carry skills, capital, and culture back and forth. Each trip north brings bottles and stories; each return south brings resources, ideas, and hope.”

Mezcal is a gift and it is why we say it’s so much more than a bottle. It’s why we continue to write stories of the people and places where it is made, to understand and truly appreciate what is behind this mesmerizing spirit. It’s why our tequila adulteration story began with the agaveros and continues to be our focus as with Felisa Rogers’ most recent piece.

Be sure to check out contributor Macey Wolfer’s recent piece on some brands that have created a strong social media identity and our 2025 Annual Mezcal Holiday Gift Guide. And also check our 2026 Mexico in a Bottle dates. But most of all, have a wonderful Thanksgiving. May we celebrate all that we are thankful for this year, and for me that is you.

Saludos,

Susan and the Mezcalistas Team

MEZCAL NEWS

MEZCAL EVENTS

• December 6th, Oh Hey Agave, Kansas City

• Mexico in a Bottle 2026 save the dates:

  • March TBD, Washington, DC

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

  • April 27th, Chicago

  • October 4th, San Diego

  • November 9th, San Francisco

2025 Mezcal Holiday Gift Guide