Agave Road Trip

In my consumer-focused tastings, I tell attendees that one of the big things I hope they walk away with is, they can lead a more delicious life and support a more sustainable ecosystem if they start drinking more than just Blue Weber processed in Jalisco and Espadin processed in Oaxaca – that’s literally 99% of what they drink now, and if they instead drink one of those two eight times out of ten instead of, rounded up, ten times out of ten, they’ll be helping to turn the ship away from the monoculture trajectory. And I ask them to ask their bartenders if they have an agave spirit that isn’t one of those two, so the bartender ask their beverage director to get something different. But … what if we could get the gringx bartenders to make that argument themselves? What suggestions can they make to put the agave spirits industry on a healthier trajectory? Agave Road Trip is a critically acclaimed, award-winning podcast that helps gringx bartenders better understand agave, agave spirits, and rural Mexico. This episode is hosted by Lou Bank with special guest Linda Sullivan of seynasecreto. Episode Notes If you want to listen to that episode about flights, it’s “Mezcals flights or Mezcal cocktails?” If you want to listen to that episode about biodiverse cocktail Mezcals, it’s “The Best Mezcals for Mixing, According to Agave Road Trip.” If you’re a bartender who wants to visit agave spirits producers in Mexico who aren’t connected to brands, check out the Tequila Interchange Project!

Mexico has been purchasing about $3 billion of corn annually from farmers in the USA, the vast majority of that corn having been grown from genetically modified seeds. The Mexican government announced in 2020 that it would, in 2025, ban that GMO corn from the country, which was found to be in violation of the USMCA agreement of 2018. So now, the Mexican government has amended their constitution to identify native corn as an "element of national identity," which will ban GMO corn from being planted in the country – and "[a]ny other use of genetically modified corn must be evaluated ... to be free of threats to the biosecurity, health and biocultural heritage of Mexico and its population." What exactly does this all mean, for farmers in Mexico, for the environment in the Americas, and for the price of tacos? We try to suss it all out in this episode of Agave Road trip! Agave Road Trip is a critically acclaimed, award-winning podcast that helps gringx bartenders better understand agave, agave spirits, and rural Mexico. This episode is hosted by Lou Bank with special guest Dave Dyrek, retired farmer of Leaning Shed Farm, with quotes from Dr. Hector Ortiz of the Chicago Botanic Gardens and Chef Gustavo Romero of Oro by Nixta. Episode Notes When in Chicago, visit the Chicago Botanic Gardens! When in Minneapolis, grab a meal and a stack of tortillas at Oro by Nixta! When traveling back in time, head to the farmers market and visit Leaning Shed! “US wins ruling in a trade dispute with Mexico over its bid to ban genetically modified corn,” AP News, December 20, 2024 “After trade dispute, Mexico officially bans the planting of GM corn,” Reuters, February 25, 2025 “Don’t mess with Mexico’s maíz: Constitutional amendment to ban GMO corn seeds,” Los Angeles Times, March 13, 2025

If you want to listen to that October 2023 episode with Khrys Maxwell, it’s “The CRT loses their Tequila monopoly.” You might also want to check out this episode: “The Birth and Death of the CRM,” in which MIA Chava and I discuss the end of the CRM’s monopoly on Mezcal certification.

Check out Riker’s project, MadAgave, on the Web, on Instagram, and on Facebook — and consider making a financial gift. It will help support this important project and also help mitigate the damage done by the recent cyclone that hit the community. In the episode cover, that’s head distiller Fomesoa, and the other crew members are Samba, Tsimireke, and Freddy.

Marissa is also a board member of Tequila That Cares, a philanthropic organization bringing positive change to the agave spirits industry! If you missed World Poetry Day, it’s not too late to celebrate. Click here for the archived celebration with Agave Road Trip Poet Laureate Larry Beckett and August Gladstone! Some numbers I culled from the DISCUS data over the past eight years: If you just look at volume consumed, 2.7 billion liters in 2024 o Vodka: 667 million liters (24.4%), trending down a point or two last three years o Cocktails (RTDs): 658 million (24.0%), trending up in a big way, double-digit growth every year o Whiskey: 647.5 million liters (23.7%), trending down four-ish percent past two years o Agave: 289.8 million liters (10.6%), trending up but growth is slowing o Rum: 186.1 million liters (6.8%), trending down in an escalating pattern o Cordials: 180.7 million liters (6.6%), trending down four-ish percent past two years, like whiskey o Brandy: 105.4 million liters (3.9%), big hits past three years If you look at dollars spent, $36.2 billion in 2024 o Vodka: $7.2 billion (19.9%), flat since 2021 o Cocktails (RTDs): $3.3 billion (9.1%), trending up in a big way, double-digit growth every year o Whiskey: $11.9 billion (32.9%), trending down two to three percent past two years o Agave: $6.7 billion (18.5%), trending up but growth is slowing o Rum: $2.2 billion (6.1%), trending down in an escalating pattern o Cordials: $2.8 billion (7.7%), trending down but not at same pace as volume o Brandy: $2.1 billion (5.8%), big hits past three years If you look at dollars spent per liter, bearing in mind that inflation between 2016 and 2024 was 30.7%, o Vodka: $10.83, up 11% since 2016 o Cocktails (RTDs): $5.01, down 23% since 2016 o Whiskey: $18.30, up 15% since 2016 o Agave: $23.17, up 25% since 2016 o Rum: $11.99, up 12.6% since 2016 o Cordials: $15.54, 13.8% since 2016 o Brandy: $20.24, 10.6% since 2016 You can get all the raw data and draw uyour own conclusions at DISCUS.

Shout outs this episode to Cambio Tequila and Puesto! And Howard Gardner’s “Theory of Multiple Intelligences”!

That one hit is from Australian Traveller: “30 of the best bars in Sydney right now.”

This episode was inspired by a post that Mexican distiller Tomas Nava made in the Facebook group Mezcal Society. His post was inspired by the entry for “foreshots” at SpiritsBeacon.com. The response from Tom Bartram of Speciality Brands gave me the excuse to reconnect with Tom! Bonus! Tom’s puntas-filled annecdote!

Check out 30A Distilling Co. when you’re in Florida!

First and foremost, when claims are made about expenses by USAID or any federal agency of the US government, you can research for yourself at usaspending.gov. This is a great tool that is as close to absolute transparency in government as the USA has ever had. In the (literal) days since I recorded this episode (February 17, 2025), President Trump has signed an executive order that requires “radical transparency” of all government offices. In that very order, he highlights as an example of “how the federal government has wasted [our] hard-earned wages” this item: Numerous USAID grants have come under review, including $1.5 million to “advance diversity equity and inclusion in Serbia’s workplaces and business communities.” But he doesn’t share the Prime Award ID number or the recipient of that award. So you’re left to dig into that yourself. If you believe there should be “radical transparency” in the government, ask for those items so you can see, for yourself, that this claim is true. Or just go digging and try to find evidence of this claim. Or any of the others in that executive order or the many posts the president or Elon Musk have made. Now … to watch the beautiful sermon from Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde — a wonderful call for mercy — click here. To read the transcript of the bishop’s interview with “All Things Considered,” click here. While I don’t believe I actually mentioned it in the episode, even as an apathetic agnostic, I’d still encourage everyone to read the letter that Pope Francis sent to the USA. To read how the first Trump administration launched the Women's Global Development and Prosperity Initiative, click here.

Shout out this episode to Steve Catbagan, Denver, and its groovy agave scene; Arik Torren and his Lot 001 Brands, and fog nets. And of Cambio Tequila!

Shout out this episode to Quiote Mezcaleria! And when in Chicago go visit the desert house at the Chicago Botanic Garden. It’s as close to Mexico as anything 1,800 miles north of Mexico!

The previous episode that inspired this episode is “The secret origin of Tequila Oro.” Shout out this episode to Jason Cox at 5 Sentidos! Shout out to Tequila Cascahuin! Maybe dibs in Chicago actually was documented…? Click here!

That incredible beer-not-beer was made by tlachiquero Marco Antonio of pulqueria El rincon de Mayahuel in San Felipe, Guanajuato. I was introduced to Marco by Malena Villasuso and Juan Pedro Valdes of Mezcal Villasuso. This episode was recorded outdoors at Bárbaro Asador de Campo, an amazing table-in-farm restaurant in Queretaro, where we stopped to have lunch with our travel companions: environmental scientist and SACRED program manager Regina Gonzalez and Brian Rabon of 30A Distilling Company.

This episode was inspired by a bottle by Victor Ramos, sourced from his tasting room in Miahuatlan, Oaxaca, labeled “Mensoncle de Arroqueno.” It’s the first time I’ve seen that spelling, but it refers to the heart of the agave — like mezontle. mesonte, and Mezonte. (Hi, Pedro!)

Shout outs this episode to Oaxacan speakeasy Hembra, Marco Ochoa of Mezcouting, Sylvia Philion of Mezcaloteca, and Enrique Martinez of Metsal!

Check out the diverse selection of Mexican spirits being imported by Lot001 Brands! They have Mi Casa Tequila, Parejo (which offers Sotol and Lechugilla expressions), Rancho Tepúa (which offers Bacanora, Lechuguilla, and Palmilla expressions), Whiskey Maíz Nation, and Pelacañas Rum!

Shout outs this episode to Mezonte, Off Premise: Wine, Agave, Whiskey & Craft Beer, and Alambique Serrano Single-Origin Oaxacan Rum!

Mezcal geeks love to run down all the varieties of Agave Karwinskii they can name. And when we talk about Agave Americana, we talk about Arroqueno and Coyote and Sierra Negra. But the most prolific of agaves in Oaxaca is easily Angustifolia, represented exclusively by Espadin. But that’s not the sole variety of the species – at least, outside of Oaxaca. So why don’t we talk about varieties of Angustifolia in Oaxaca? And is that a possible solution to the growing monoculture in Mezcal? It’s another head-scratching episode of Agave Road Trip! Agave Road Trip is a critically acclaimed, award-winning podcast that helps gringx bartenders better understand agave, agave spirits, and rural Mexico. This episode is hosted by Lou Bank with special guest Linda Sullivan of seynasecreto with insights from mezcalero Arturo Campos of San Juan Espanatica, Jalisco.

In addition to our quoted friends at Cambio Tequila and Tequila Torrente, we also mention this episode Felipe Camarena of G4 Tequila and Greg Rutkowski of Finca 18 and 30 Topes Mixto de Agave, and Chava Periban of the podcast “Heritage Mezcal.” And Steve Dahl. And Dark Matter Coffee’s Star Lounge. To learn more about the fascinating agricultural practices of Tequila Torrente, read “A Better Way to Grow Agave Leads to World’s First Certified Regenerative Tequila” in UnderstandingAg.