MEZCAL ROOM x MEZONTE

Friday, February 6 / 7 pm / Sunnyside, Queens / $105

All contributions will be donated directly, in full, to the family of master distiller Tomás Virgen, who left us recently and too soon

Our first tasting of the year is a special one. Pedro Jiménez Gurría — a true personal inspiration and a remarkable human being — will join us for a collaboration in the mezcal room.

It would not be an exaggeration to say that Pedro is one of the most influential thinkers working in the world of traditional mezcal today. As founder of both the Guadalajara-based nonprofit Mezonte and the legendary mezcaleria Pare de Sufrir, he has championed the heritage spirits of west-central Mexico for nearly two decades, always with an eye toward foregrounding and respecting the producers themselves. Though he himself might reject the following description, he unites the rigor of a philosopher with the temperament of an artist, recognizing that mezcal is the source of both great beauty and great paradoxes. And yet, in tastings with Pedro, this cerebral undercurrent is always married with true joy. You’re never too far from the spiritual glow of his mezcal bar’s iconic disco ball.

During this event, Pedro is going to take us to one of Jalisco’s farthest-flung corners: the rugged and literally roadless country where just a few indigenous Tepehuano families produce an agave spirit kn0wn as tepe. (The photos above are from his tepe journeys.) We’ll complement these typically explosive, often pine-inflected pours with special batches from the mezcal room’s collection, and perhaps some other Mezonte spirits as well.

This tasting of at least eight heritage spirits, accompanied by light snacks, will take place in our private space in Sunnyside, Queens. As always, you’ll try mezcals you might not find elsewhere, and meet new people around our single communal table.

Finally: This is a charitable event. One of Mezonte’s producers — the bighearted and perpetually smiling Tomás Virgen, who distilled singular expressions with his father, Lorenzo — passed away just a couple of weeks ago. 100 percent of your ticket will be donated to his family, to ease this economic hardship and also, as Pedro put it to me recently, so that they might feel accompanied through their loss.

HOW TO PARTICIPATE

To sign up, please fill out the form below, and we’ll send you an email to finalize things and coordinate payment via Venmo or Zelle. Feel free to send an email with any questions: hello@mezcal.nyc.

Thanks for reading — it would be a pleasure to share this evening, and some tepe, with you!

Complete this form to sign up for MEZCAL ROOM x MEZONTE and join us on Friday, February 6, at 7 pm, for an evening of heritage agave spirits and light snacks. We request a donation of $105 per guest.