Del Maguey, Single Village Mezcal ™
Oaxaca, Mexico


Del Maguey Basket Makers:

Each different village mezcal is identified by its own unique handwoven palm fiber basket. The women of Oaxaca have been weaving palm fiber baskets for thousands of years. Each of their designs are of ancient Zapotec or Mixtec origin. The designs are abstractions of flowers, ceramics, landscapes or architectural elements. We believe that when we as a culture were still hunter gatherers, women created the first sculpture - soft baskets (predating pottery), woven from grasses and fibers to carry back to camp the roots, seeds, nuts, fruits and vegetables that pre-farming societies survived on.

We have been working with two villages of weavers for thirteen years now, and they have organized several groups consisting of approximately 250 weavers to provide covers for each bottle of our rare mezcal (which honors the ancient ritual forms of intoxication and ecstasy). These women weave dyed palm fiber into baskets of various forms with ancient designs. It takes one woman one-half day to weave each cover for a bottle of Del Maguey Mezcal. They have elected a presidenta, secretaria and tesorrea to manage the group production.

Besides farming for food staples, the men of the village produce mezcal, but the real support financially is the product of the women. Their culture is intact and has never lost touch with the mysteries! They live whole, and in daily life are in contact with the Goddesses and Gods of the past and present. IT IS A BEAUTIFUL ART. Doing business with these artisanas has been interesting, very pleasurable; and they are very tough business women. We appreciate their fine work that serves as the vessel for each of our bottles of mezcal.

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Copyright © 1995-2003

Del Maguey, Ltd. Co., PO Box 667, Ranchos de Taos, New Mexico 87557

Update 07.16.03