Vago Espadin en Barro is made by Tio Rey in Sola de Vega, which is an area that is steeped in history of clay bot distillation. In true artisinal fashion, Tio Rey hand mashes the roasted agave and distills each batch in small clay pots. The batches of this mezcal are much smaller than the regular copper-still distillation Espadin releases that Vago puts out. The smell and taste of clay is highly evident in this mezcal.
Mezcal Vago began when co-founder Judah Kuper visited a hospital in Oaxaca, Mexico. He fell in love with the nurse who treated him. Her father, Aquilino Garcia, was a sustenance farmer who also produced mezcal. Judah and Aquilino, along with Judah's longtime friend Dylan Sloan, launched Mezcal Vago. In 2013, their first exported bottles arrived in Texas. Each of their mezcals is produced naturally in a traditional palenque with no additives. The brand aims to empower both the master craftsmen with a celebration of his art. Also the consumer by giving them the knowledge they need to find a great mezcal. The brand claims to plant 3 agaves for each single agave they harvest. Their goal is to end the use wild agave by 2025 for most of their releases.…