Vago Pechuga en Barro

About this mezcal

Vago Pechuga en Barro is made by Maestro Mezcalero Tio Rey in Sola de Vega, Oaxaca. He used agave Espadin and added a farm-raised chicken, toasted cacao, and fresh fruits to the second distillation to create this Mezcal de Pechuga. He grinds all his cooked agave by hand distills all his mezcal in small clay pots. This is an extremely limited batch of just 48 litres.

Vago Mezcal

Mezcal Vago began when co-founder Judah Kuper visited a hospital in Oaxaca, Mexico. He fell in love with the nurse who treated him. Her father, Aquilino Garcia, was a sustenance farmer who also produced mezcal. Judah and Aquilino, along with Judah’s longtime friend Dylan Sloan, launched Mezcal Vago. In 2013, their first exported bottles arrived in Texas. Each of their mezcals is produced naturally in a traditional palenque with no additives. The brand aims to empower both the master craftsmen with a celebration of his art. Also the consumer by giving them the knowledge they need to find a great mezcal. The brand plants 3 agaves for each single agave they harvest. Their goal is to end the use wild agave by 2025 for most of their releases.

In 2017, Mezcal Vago began using different color labels for their different mezcaleros. Emigdio Jarquin (blue label) distills in copper with refrescador. Aquilino and Joel Barriga (tan and gold labels respectively) distill in copper. Tio Rey (red label) distills in clay pots. All their mezcaleros use different water sources and make different distillation cuts. In 2018, Mezcal Vago established an investment partnership with Samson and Surrey. With the new partnership, each Mezcal Vago mezcalero has a stake in Samson and Surrey.

In 2021, Mezcal Vago went through its first major brand redesign since their launch in 2013.

Learn more Mezcal Vago:

• The Mezcal Vago Tasting Room in Oaxaca on Mezcal Reviews
• A podcast interview with co-founder Judah Kuper on Show de Vie Podcast w/Mike G
• The Mezcal Vago blog Mas Mezcal