Drink of the Week: Manojo Mezcal

Sharing a drink is inherently an act of community. Whether with friends or strangers, lifting a glass creates connection in moments of both joy and sorrow. It was this notion of togetherness—of creating a shared experience—that partly inspired the newly launched Manojo Mezcal. Even the name itself, a portmanteau of mano (hand) and ojo (eye), literally translates to “a bunch.” The founders chose it to represent abundance.

A collaboration between celebrated Mexican chef Enrique Olvera and four of his longtime friends (Alex Ferzan, Gonzalo Gout, Thomas McDonald, and Nes Rueda), Manojo Mezcal aims to be an approachable expression appreciated by both connoisseurs and novices. Oaxaca’s San Luis del Río by husband-and-wife mezcaleros Joel Velasco and Felicitas Hernández made the mezcal from espadín agave. They used artisanal methods like horse-drawn tahona for crushing, open-air fermentation in wooden vats, and copper still distillation.

I sampled Manojo Mezcal at a communal dinner table. We shared cocktails and neat pours of the spirit among platters of duck carnitas and lively conversation. The mezcal is indeed supremely drinkable—enjoyable in cocktails to be sure but best on its own. Sweetly earthy in aroma with a hint of smoke, the taste is fresh and vegetal with flavors of green pepper, savory herbs, and mint, rounded by a gentle sweetness. It’s a spirit suited to sipping over several hours with good company. $49.99, manojomezcal.com