A Mexican Madre Branding Masterpiece

Crafting artisanal spirits in small batches

Madre Mezcal is distilled in the dusty hills of San Dionisio, southeast of Oaxaca City, Mexico. The family recipe is based on centuries of mezcal wisdom. The agave from which it is made is stone-ground by horse, and the spirit itself is smoked in the earth. The branding aesthetic reflects that earthiness, paying tribute to the simple techniques mezcal makers have used for generations. Every batch is distilled in a makeshift palenque built by Jose Ines Garcia Morales — the Morales family has watched over the land for over a century.

Madre comes from the Garcia Morales ranch, set in the rolling hills of the Oaxacan Sierra. watching over the land for centuries, the family started distilling the spirit of mezcal for the intent of personal guidance and celebration. (Photo: Clay Grier from Upstart!)

Creative explorer Tony Farfalla started the mezcal journey while investigating Mexican shamanism during a visit to the southeastern part of the country. He then brought in Stefan Weigand and Work by Land (Caleb Owen Everitt and Ryan Rhodes) on the Madre Mezcal journey. "The design hallmarks of the Madre Mezcal brand are simplicity and honesty mixed with mystery," they explain in our Upstart! book.

After three years of returning to Oaxaca, developing a recipe, and researching their niche alongside the Garcia Morales family, Madre Mezcal was born. (Photo: Clay Grier from Upstart!)

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