You don’t have to be an actor or musician to get into the world of celebrity agave spirits—you can also be a celebrity chef, which actually might kind of make more sense. The news arrived today that Mexican chef Enrique Olvera, famous for Pujol in Mexico City and Cosme in New York City, just launched a new mezcal brand called Manojo, and we have the details.
According to the brand, the name of the mezcal is a play on two Spanish words–“mano,” which means hand, and “ojo,” which means eye. Together, the name Manojo means “a bunch,” which the brand thinks of as signifying “abundance.” Okay. Olvera co-founded the mezcal with a few partners–Alex Ferzan, Gonzalo Gout, Thomas McDonald, and Nes Rueda–and worked with the husband and wife mezcalero team Joel Velasco and Felicitas Hernández, who have about 50 years experience between them. The first release is an Espadín expression, meaning it’s made from that specific agave varietal, produced in San Luis del Río located outside of Oaxaca City. Seven to nine year old agave plants were harvested, after which the pinas were cooked in underground pits, crushed by a horse-drawn tahona stone, fermented, and distilled twice in copper pot stills.
Manojo Mezcal is meant to be sipped or used in cocktails. According to the brand, it’s not overly smoky, something that will appeal to some and maybe not so much to others. Official tasting notes include pear, green herbs, and minerality on the palate, followed by the vaguely described “crisp yet smooth finish.” “Manojo Mezcal is meant to be enjoyed with friends, a celebration of life and our rich cultural heritage” said Olvera, who also holds the title of “creative imagineer” for the brand, in a statement. “We’re incredibly proud to introduce our first product, an Espadín, that’s versatile and easy to drink.”
Tequila is clearly the dominant agave spirit when it comes to celebrity backers. We just covered the launch of Danny McBride’s Tequila Don Gato, but the field is full of brands from The Rock (Teremana), Kevin Hart (Gran Coramino), George Clooney (Casamigos), Michael Jordan (Cincoro), and Kendall Jenner (818). Mezcal has less famous backers, although there are a few; Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul hawk Dos Hombres, Cheech Marin has Mezcal Tres Papalote, and LeBron James’ Lobos 1707 has a mezcal in its lineup. Overall, the mezcal market is much smaller than tequila, which is now outpacing American whiskey sales here in the U.S.—much to the dismay of Uncle Nearest Founder Fawn Weaver, who expressed her displeasure about the news in a video that has gone viral in the bartender and spirits world.
If you’re interested in trying a bottle of Manojo Mezcal for yourself, head to the brand’s website to find out where to purchase a bottle (SRP $50).
