Food & Drink
Drink your corn ... TEXT AND PHOTO LEE STEELE
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n the land of corn, why not whisky? The land of tequila and mezcal isn’t known for whisky, but that could change. In under a decade, the rise in heirloom corn production has given birth to a handful of boutique distillers in Mexico on a drive for recognition. The domestic whisky market is ascendent where whisky sales are second only to tequila, although so far Mexico is drinking mainly expensive imports, Johnnie Walker Scotch whisky — distilled from grains — in particular. Abasolo, the biggest Mexican brand, comes from tiny Jilotepec in the State of Mexico. Its whiskey (spelled with the e) is derived from heirloom Cacahuazintle corn cooked via nixtamalization, a 4,000-year-old alkaline-cooking process first used by Aztecs and Maya. Today, the process is employed to make tortillas, but Abasolo was the first to apply it to distilling spirits in 2019. Sierra Norte Single Barrel Whiskey, made with black corn from Oaxaca, is aged in wood to produce buttery, caramel-like vanilla flavors. Revés Whisky comes from Ensenada and would be agreeable to any Johnnie Walker diehard. Revés Black (MX$990 at La Botelleria) is aged for three years in new American oak barrels, then aged for six months in Mezcal barrels from Oaxaca for a pleasing and lingering smoky finish. The distillery was founded by Hans Backoff
Tama Shoduko
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Revés Whisky Black was introduced to me at Bird. Bottles of the brand are sold across the street at La Botelleria on Calle 56 and 53 in Mérida’s Centro Histórico.
of the Monte Xanic winery in Baja California. “When you think about whisky as a corn based spirit you must ask yourself, ‘who grows the best corn in the world?’ The answer is crystal clear, Mexico!” says Sean Sant Amour, proprietor of La Botelleria, which is on the corner of Calle 56 at 53 in Santa Lucía — and across from Bird, where we sampled Revés Black. “Not only the best tasting corn but non-GMO corn with the most integrity.” Heirloom origen maiz has approximately 20% more protein than corn produced outside Mexico. Protein is only one example of a component that can be measured, but there are so many intangible components that create an exceptionally unique Mexican flavor profile, says Sean. “The soil that gave birth to corn is here and that translates directly to a specific depth
of flavor and character in the whiskies of Mexico,” he says. For your consideration, here’s a winter-themed cocktail we served at our holiday party last year.
Apple Cider Whisky Cocktail Courtesy Sommelier Express, 1 glass Cider pairs perfectly with Mexican whisky. It’s got a hint of lemon and a surprise ingredient that rounds out the flavors into a meld that’s intriguing, complex, and highly drinkable. “Many of my cocktail recipes are based on standard great cocktails recipes that have stood the test of time, like the whisky sour or Manhattan,” mixologist Fernando Almazan explains. “My goal here was simple: create a drink that’s interesting and complex, not too
Choga Seoul
ISSUE 7 | YUCATÁN MAGAZINE
