The Lost Explorer Mezcal Espadín, 70cl | Award Winning Artisanal Mezcal | 42%

Product Information

Investing in one of The Lost Explorer’s “luxury” mezcals, you are not just buying a bottle, but a piece of artwork, as well as supporting their choice of charities and efforts for sustainability. Like any business they still have profit targets and plans for expansion, which are challenging in this saturated market, without the addition of a high standard of sustainable practice. It remains to be seen if the expansion of the mezcal world can be tenable in general, but The Lost Explorer is in a strong position to pursue this dream, using its prestigious platform to lead the way as “the most sustainable brand in the world.” Complete list of The Lost Explorer projects and initiatives Mexico’s intrinsic value shows up in two ways when it comes to mezcal making: terroir and Indigenous generational knowledge. The word Mezcal originates from Nahuatl. Some believe it derives from mexcalli, metl or meztl means maguey (type of agave), and ixcalli, to cook. The translation would then be “cooked maguey,” which gives a perfect idea of its elaboration process. Commitments in place at the moment include: Don Fortino being a shareholder in the company; rainwater conservation; the use of reclaimed wood; replanting at least three agaves for every agave we distil; creating fertiliser from agave waste; and using solar panels. We’ve also created ‘The Lost Laboratory’, which will play a leading role in the support of environmental improvements in the making of sustainable artisanal mezcal. For The Lost Explorer, being in tune with Nature starts by listening to the land. “We follow the phases of the moon to know when to plant or when to harvest,” Don Fortino says, noting that the sugars are concentrated in the body (the piña), when the moon is full, making it the optimal time to harvest. For Don Fortino being in tune with Nature is as important as being in tune with one’s own state of mind. “There is spirituality within the production, within the process. Even our mood affects the process. We should be in a cheerful, happy, optimistic mood because it is a plant and it feels,” he says.

Beyond consumer engagement and marketing initiatives, Escalapez offered three key, often understated, suggestions for CFOs and CIOs tasked with brand building. The nuances in taste come from of course the different agave species themselves, but also the great sensitivities to the environment each plant has. The notion of “terroir” in wine also applies to mezcal, where the various agaves act as palettes for the earth they’re grown in. The many years the agaves take to mature means they experience many climate cycles and have a significant amount of time to soak up the characteristics of the region—the sun, aridity, altitude, soil composition, the neighboring plants sharing the soil. That fledgling ambition required a leadership team that could navigate the pandemic’s severe distribution detours and unexpected marketing hurdles. We have a huge supplier network for our agave plants, which take years before they’re ready to be harvested. Agave is a really clever plant; it’s full of sugar in the desert, which is devoid of life. Its spikes protect it from animals and it stores up all its sugars for its moment of procreation.

The Lost Explorer Mezcal Review

Development of technology has evolved man’s relationship with making mezcal, but the practical and spiritual knowledge handed down through generations in regions like Oaxaca remains a factor in its quality and character. Of all the categories, artesenal honors the handmade while integrating technological advances that ease the heavy workload on workers and animals. This balance is what enamored Don Fortino when he set out on this journey to make world class mezcal over 38 years ago.

In partnership with award-winning Maestro Mezcalero Don Fortino Ramos, The Lost Explorer Mezcal is committed to the sustainable production of high-quality handcrafted mezcal in a manner that benefits the local mezcal-producing community in Oaxaca and protects the land’s biodiversity, with the long-term mission of becoming the most sustainable mezcal brand in the world. PRODUCT RANGEThe first time I tried Mezcal was by my hotel pool in Guadalajara, Mexico. Author Irving Welsh of ‘Trainspotting’ fame sauntered over with a bottle of the smoky agave-based spirit looking for a late-night drinking companion. I was happy to oblige. The evening ended in something of a blur but left me with a taste for this delicious spirit. I found myself sitting in a hut with the tribesmen drinking chicha, a local concoction made from fermented corn, saliva and spices. It’s pretty punchy moonshine and I didn’t want to appear rude, so I drank a lot of it and was getting progressively merry. It’s important that our distributors, customers and consumers around the world understand the rationale behind our premium price positioning and the value associated with the hand-crafted, small batch production and sustainability credentials of our brand. Each varietal of mezcal comes in a bespoke bottle, made in Mexico from over 55% recycled crystal scraps, is hand-labeled and sealed with natural beeswax sourced from Guadalajara in Mexico,” she detailed.

All production partners selected based on environmental ethos, quality and in support of Mexican enterprise To have any chance of standing out in this market you have to pay homage to the craft. Consumers and bartenders have so much choice these days, so you need to capture their attention. If you really take a moment to slow things down while you’re sipping your next mezcalito, perhaps you will taste the 8-12 years (in some cases more!) the agave have spent growing to reach maturity; the excursions to hunt and harvest the wild varietals; the 72-plus hours the piñas spent roasting in the earth; or days the smoky cooked piñas spent fermenting. In each stage, we celebrate the earth. Perhaps, like us, you will grow curious to explore the wonder and diversity of the revered agave species, and the nuanced flavors brought to life through each mezcal. And perhaps you, too, can tell the difference. The Espadín will remain our core variant, along with our two wild expressions, Salmiana and Tobalá, depending on what nature provides us with. We love exploring the tastes that come from the different agave strains, so we will look to include new strains and blends of those strains into the range in the future. The Lost Laboratory is currently germinating seeds of genetically diverse agave on distillery land and experimenting with replanting initiatives to help expand and scale their replanting program. Agave waste is also a big focus area within the production of mezcal. In addition to repurposing agave waste into fertilizer for the land, an initiative from last year was using agave waste to make copitas. This endeavor was overseen by Maestro Fortino’s daughter, mezcalera in the making, Xitlali Ramos.

International delivery

Germinate seeds of genetically diverse agave on our distillery land and experimentation at The Lost Laboratory For The Lost Explorer Mezcal, Maestro Don Fortino Ramos plays close attention to the fermentation environment to ensure the light is just right (warm, soft, diffuse), the energy is good, vibes are flowing, and the music classical. Don Fortino also has determined the optimal bottling strength for The Lost Explorer Mezcal to sit right at 42% ABV. According to NOM legislation, mezcal must be between 36% and 55% alcohol by volume (ABV). A key skill of the Maestro Mezcalero is knowing when and where to make the cut. For The Lost Explorer, this specific bottling strength is very much a signature style that offers the perfect balance of raw ingredients and alcohol. It produces a smooth, well-balanced and elegant flavor, that allows the full complexity of the agave to shine through. Choosing these projects to support was a joint management decision for The Lost Explorer team, working closely with the Voice for Nature Foundation. The Lost Explorer’s commitments come from a place of contributing beyond their own business goals and supporting a more sustainable future for the environment and communities of Oaxaca. These specific initiatives were chosen because they would have impact in the immediate short-term, but also longer-term, in addition to supporting the UN Sustainability Goals of Climate Action, Gender Equality and Economic Growth.

The Lost Explorer Mezcal is a handcrafted spirit cultivated on ancestral Miztec land in the sun-soaked Valles Centrales, Oaxaca. Harvested in harmony with the elements and in tune with the rhythm of nature, this small-batch artisanal mezcal invites people to Live Curiously and Celebrate the Earth, exploring the wonder and diversity of the sacred agave. All industries are affected by global supply chain challenges. We ensure that we meet partners’ needs, carefully select our target markets and increase our logistics spend to avoid supply and sell-through disruption — that’s how to build the firm foundation that a leading brand requires,” Esclapez added. The most interesting (and costly) bottle in the Lost Explorer lineup. Big minty notes. Some mint chip ice cream. Jonny’s review is spot on with Jolly Ranchers, I get the watermelon flavor. I can see people really getting into this one because it is not too smoky nor harsh. It is approachable and quite unique. Flavors aren’t very complex but they’re outside the average Oaxacan mezcal spectrum. Bit of water on the finish. Data automation transforms revenue management by building trust. Esclapez noted, “In general, our teams cannot focus on the value-added operations without reliable, transparent and timely reporting data. Our financial systems consolidates and profitability data across jurisdictions. That’s important from a regulatory perspective, but also drives are pricing strategy, product allocations and market share pursuits. Such insight is critical for effective revenue management and business growth.” We’re aiming the brand at people who want to drink better. You can go out and have a drink or you can have an experience. The mezcal category is still quite fragmented and there aren’t any big players yet, so I hope The Lost Explorer becomes a new firm favourite. My wife is my harshest critic and it has passed the taste test with her. Proof Drinks will be putting it out into high-end hotel bars and restaurants in the UK.Scaling requires credible long-term capacity planning. While many new spirits brands focus on the US market only, The Lost Explorer widened its launch to include Mexico and key strategic markets with strong on-trade and luxury brand networks — specifically the UK, Australia, Greece and Italy. Future expansion plans underway target South America, mainland Europe and the Asia-Pacific region. Like many brands, especially those formed outside of Mexico, The Lost Explorer is built on a foundation of privilege and Rothschild’s is to the high end of that privilege. However, there is credit due, given the extent of the work being done to focus on the sustainable agenda, both environmental and social. Maestro Ramos and his family are shareholders in the brand and there is an emphasis on their story, and that of mezcal (rather than Rothschild’s) throughout the presentation of The Lost Explorer. The Lost Explorer mezcal is produced by Maestro Fortino Ramos, in San Pablo Huixtepec, Oaxaca. A first generation mezcalero, he has been making agave spirits for the past forty years. Now his daughter Xitlali is alongside him, learning the craft and working closely with The Lost Explorer brand. Together they are pursuing specific goals to support local economic growth and gender equality, while combating climate change. In 1996, Maestro Mezcalero Don Fortino and his family set out to make quality, world class mezcal. They chose to produce mezcal artesanal even before the laws governing its production made the distinction between the three categories that exist today — Mezcal, Artesanal, and Ancestral. Don Fortino’s vision for the way he wanted to make mezcal was clear, a handcrafted approach in symbiosis with the land. This harmony between Nature and artisan is what Don Fortino describes as the “mystical factor of what Nature does in concert with man’s knowledge.”