MEZCAL MONDAYS

Your weekly 5-minute email packed with must-try mezcales and history of the craft.

Author

Will Hench
June 16, 2025

In partnership with

Cheers and salud. Today Monday, June 16 we bring you the best new mezcal, a father’s legacy, a taste for summer, and some more.

If it's your first time with us, join our 80K plus enthusiasts and aficionados by signing up here.

Like all beautiful things …

REAL MEZCAL
TAKES TIME

In a world of speed and mass production, true craft is becoming rare.

That’s why ONE OF US is already being called “the best new mezcal” by those in the know.

The Cuishe agave they use matures for over a decade. It's then slow-roasted underground, naturally fermented, and double-distilled in copper stills to reveal a clean, balanced complexity.

And while many brands rely on third-party producers and dress it up with fancy labels, ONE OF US is made at its own palenque in the rural valleys of Oaxaca, Mexico — giving them full control from agave to bottle. No additives. No shortcuts. Not overly smoky. Never harsh. Just the way Mother Nature intended it to be.

So if you’ve ever been burned by an average mezcal, you owe it to yourself to try the real thing — a true small-batch, clean spirit with clarity, character, and depth that mass-market simply can’t touch.

It’s all showcased in a stunning bottle the founders designed themselves. Every panel, every line. Nothing is random. Secure one, and if you’re curious, ask them. They love sharing the story written into the glass.

Founder Marco De Molina and Maestro Mezcalero Jacinto Gutierrez examine a Cuishe agave.

Every panel, every line, tells a story. Designed by the founders, the bottle captures the same intentionality that goes into the spirit inside.

After a special day ...

A NOTE TO FATHERS,
FROM ONE OF US

Yesterday was Father’s Day, but the truth is, fatherhood shouldn’t be something we celebrate just once a year.

Because it’s a daily act of being present. Of patience. Of guidance at every stage of life with quiet strength and intentional love.

Here’s to every father, stepfather, mentor, or guide:
Thank you. For holding space. For the lessons. For showing up even when it’s hard.

You’re helping shape the next chapter of the human story.

We raise a glass of mezcal to all the Dads out there. Not just this weekend. Always.

A quiet Sunday sharing a sip with Dad.

Sun’s out …

A SUMMER RITUAL:
MEZCAL + ORANGE

Here’s one way how we like to enjoy our mezcal on a warm evening:

  • Prepare a plate with a couple of chilled orange slices.

  • Pour ONE OF US Mezcal neat in your favorite glass. Room temperature. No ice.

  • Have a sip and swish. Let it dance and activate your palate.

  • After a few moments, take a second sip and repeat.

  • After your third sip, take a bite of orange. The gentle citrus sweetness compliments the floral notes and soft roast of the mezcal — without ever overpowering the finish.

Enjoy discovering your own rhythm. Your own fruit. Your own moment.

Yeah … this is how summer says salud.

Sip slowly. Celebrate fully.
That’s the spirit of ONE OF US.

As always, some little Mezcal history …

ANCIENT ORIGINS:
MEZCAL & THE ZAPOTEC LEGACY

Before mezcal became the soul of Mexico’s spirits, it was something sacred.

Over 2,500 years ago, the Zapotec civilization in what is now Oaxaca, Mexico, revered the maguey (agave) plant as a source of life, healing, and divine connection.

The Zapotec were astronomers, architects, and artisans. Mezcal was woven into a larger system of ritual and mastery.

When Spanish and Filipino distillation methods arrived in the 16th century, their ancestral practices evolved into what we now know as artisanal mezcal.

That spirit lives on in ONE OF US Mezcal — where Jacinto Gutierrez, a third-generation Maestro Mezcalero, carries forward his ancient Zapotec heritage and agricultural wisdom while embracing a modern, elevated vision.

Left to right: ONE OF US Mezcal Founders Marco & Roza, with Jacinto posing on 6 tons of wild Cuishe agave, just moments before the roasting.

You can join founders Roza & Marco in sharing their spirit.

ONE OF US MEZCAL
IS NOW SHIPPING
NATIONWIDE

  • Ships to most U.S. states

  • Makes the perfect gift

  • True limited small-batch release

Have a great week!

— Your friends at Bottle & Barrel

P.S.

Already shared a bottle?
Tag @oneofusmezcal and use #WhatsYourStory, for a chance to be featured.

Stay up-to-date with AI

The Rundown is the most trusted AI newsletter in the world, with 1,000,000+ readers and exclusive interviews with AI leaders like Mark Zuckerberg, Demis Hassibis, Mustafa Suleyman, and more.

Their expert research team spends all day learning what’s new in AI and talking with industry experts, then distills the most important developments into one free email every morning.

Plus, complete the quiz after signing up and they’ll recommend the best AI tools, guides, and courses – tailored to your needs.

Got Thoughts or Questions?

Whether it’s sponsorship and media inquiries, feedback on today’s feature, or you’re curious about future bottles we’ll spotlight, we’d love to hear from you.

Reach us anytime at [email protected].

Like what you read?

If a friend sent you this, you can join our growing circle of curious sippers.
Sign up below to get Mezcal Mondays — and other spirited stories — delivered straight to your inbox.

Thanks for sipping with us.
More bottles, more stories, more flavor — next Monday.

– The Bottle & Barrel Team