Ron Cooper sets the record straight

[MrAgave]

A letter from Ron Cooper to the San Francisco Spirits Competition, explaining the Denomination of Origin for Mezcal, and the correct spelling of Mezcal:

Dear administrators of the San Francisco International Spirits Competition,

Somehow a google search for another matter pointed me to the results the 2009 competition and I was somewhat dismayed and shocked and feel I should bring the following to your attention: NONE of the following spirits (listed below) have the legal right to be considered MEZCAL. They may be called AGAVE SPIRITS as is written legally on their the bottles. However there is an International Denomination of Origin for Mezcal and it may be produced in 7 states only.

I recommend the Competition either change the category (Mezcal, Sotol, Bacanora) to include Agave Spirits or do not include Agave Spirits in their competition.

The following is the Mexican Government's publication on the DO for Mezcal. It is from the "Diaro Oficial". On the date something is published in that document it becomes Law:

Declaración General de la Protección a la Denominación de Origen “Mezcal”, publicada en el Diario Oficial de la Federación el 11 de Fevrero de 2003.
Durango, el Municipio de San Felipe, Estado de Guanajuato, Guerrero, Oaxaca, Puebla, San Luis Potosí, los municipios de San Carlos, San Nicolás, Burgos, Miquihuana, Bustamante, Palmillas, Jaumave, Tula, Cruillas, Jiménez y Méndez del Estado de Tamaulipas, y Zacatecas son los Municipios o Estados que se encuentran protegidos por la Denominación de Origen Mezcal.

By that definition none of the following medal winners are in the Denomination of Origin for Mezcal:

Best Mescal, Double Gold Medal, Los Osuna Reposado Mescal, Mexico [40%] $38.

Bronze Medal, Los Osuna Blanco Mescal, Mexico [40%] $35.

Bronze Medal, Doña Santa Mescal, Maduro 100% Blue Agave, Morelos, Mexico [34%] $16.

By the way, MEZCAL, is spelled with a Z... even though the American dictionaries have made the error for years of using an S.

Thank you for your attention to this matter,

Sincerely,

Ron Cooper

Quit spelling Mezcal with a "S" ! and add a "Destilado de Agave" category.

[bn087]

Set 'em straight Ron!

[AgaveSpirit1]

Now that was a good Lecture. I love it. I always wonder why the S and not the Z. come on its call Mezcal