The Lost Explorer Mezcal is a small-batch mezcal, cultivated in the Valles Centrales in Oaxaca, Mexico. Born from a “curiosity of time and the earth,” the brand is co-founded by David de Rothschild and Thor Björgólfsson who are committed to protecting the heritage, community and biodiversity of Mexico. The pair work with a self-taught, first-generation, award-winning Maestro Mezcalero — Don Fortino Ramos — who has been perfecting his craft for decades.
De Rothschild is a passionate environmentalist and ecologist. To raise awareness of the Pacific Garbage Patch, he invented a sustainable ship made from thousands of reclaimed plastic bottles. Every element of the ship had environmental friendliness in mind — even the glue was made from cashew nuts and sugar. He launched the 60-ft catamaran from San Francisco and sailed to Sydney.
[See also: Unusual Methods Making Wine and Spirits Sustainable]
So, it comes as no surprise that The Lost Explorer mezcal has a stringent environmentally conscious process. Each agave is harvested individually (and at least three are replanted; insecticides are never used). The earthen ovens are lined with volcanic rock, reclaimed local wood, soil and river stones. Once roasted, the agave is moved to open-top oak barrels to rest in spring water. It is double-distilled in small batches in copper alembic stills, and then bottled in a recycled crystal bottle, hand-labeled, and sealed with natural biodegradable cork and beeswax.
The three expressions, Espadín, Tobalá and Salmiana, are designed to be slowly sipped and savored, but are equally as welcome in a cocktail. This recipe, the Earthy Paloma, is part of a new ‘Celebrate the Earth’ campaign which will feature a series of educational content to highlight the brand’s commitment to sustainable practices and benefiting the Oaxacan community.
The Earthy Paloma uses the Espadín expression, created from the Espadín agave which is grown to full maturity and harvested at eight years old. The result is a sweet yet slightly smokey spirit, which lends itself well to the Earth Paloma’s citrusy grapefruit and lime.
Ingredients:
- 1.5 oz / 45 ml The Lost Explorer Espadín
- 3 oz / 90 ml Grapefruit Juice
- 0.25 oz / 7.5 ml Lime Juice
- Tonic water to top (optional)
- Rimmed with volcanic salt & grapefruit slice
Method:
Combine all ingredients except tonic water in a shaker with ice. Shake it up. Strain into a highball glass filled with ice. Sit in the sunshine and enjoy.
See more Cocktail of the Week recipes here.
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