Market Watch, April 2018

44 MARKET WATCH MARKETWATCHMAG COM APRIL 2018PHOTO BY LEFT JAKOB LAYMANGardner predicts continued double digit growth for Del Maguey for at least the next several years In addition to the United States Del Maguey does well in the United King dom Greece France and Australia Del Maguey Vida mezcal 37 a 750 ml is the brands most popular and widely distributed label but the company produces 20 mezcals in all Other Del Maguey labels include San Luis del Rio 70 Chichicapa 70 Mezcal de Puebla 100 Tobalá 125 and Ibérico 200 Increasing Market ShareOther multinationals are making investments in mezcal Last year Bacardi acquired a stake in Ilegal mezcal while Proximo Spirits introduced the Creyente brand in 2016 William Grant Sons owns Montelobos mezcal and this month Diageos Casamigos Tequila brand is adding a mezcal to its portfolio Outside Mexico the United States is the largest consumer of mezcal and the spirit also does well in Japan Many suppliers say customer education is key to future growth Mezcal is coming into its own in the United States says Michelle Ivey Ilegals director of operations Bacardis stake in Ilegal has helped expand the brand nationally Ilegal offers three tiers Joven 47 a 750 ml Reposado 57 and Añejo 99 Mezcal is now sought after in a broad spectrum of venues Ivey says This bodes well for the long term Ultra premium artisanal mezcals like Ilegal put the category on the map Ilegal has enjoyed tremendous growth over the last year doubling in volume and revenue and we project the same results for this coming year I dont believe theres a plateau anywhere in sight for mezcal and certainly not for Ilegal The brand depleted more than 10000 9 liter cases in the U S market last year according to Ivey MEZCAL KEY FACTS Definition An agave based spirit made in certain parts of Mexico The word mezcal which originated in the Nahuatl language loosely translates to oven cooked agave and the spirit is made from the heart of the agave plant called the piña While technically Tequila is a type of mezcal Tequila is produced in a different region and has its own strict production requirements Origin Mezcal can be made in a number of Mexican states including Oaxaca Durango Guerrero San Luis Potosí Puebla and Zacatecas Since 2015 mezcal made outside of these areas must be labeled as komil Agave Types By law mezcal can be made from any one of over 30 agave varieties grown in Mexico The most popular mezcal agave is the Espadín variety however types like Arro queño Tobalá and Cirial are also used Tequila can only be made from Blue Weber agave Production Traditionally mezcal is handcrafted by small production teams in Mexican villages After harvesting agave the jimadores harvesters cut off the leaves and roots to get the piñas which are cooked often in underground roasting ovens Theyre then crushed mashed and left to ferment in tanks or barrels A wide array of fruits herbs and spices can be added to the fermentation to affect the final flavor The resulting liquid is then distilled still types range from stainless steel columns to copper pot stills to clay or even wood stills Classifications Unaged mezcals are often called Jovenes Mezcals aged for two to nine months are called Reposados while those aged for more than a year can be called Añejos Regulation Mezcal must follow Norma Oficial Mexicana NOM regulations which are set by the Consejo Mexicano Regulador de la Calidad del Mezcal COMERCAM the Mexican regulatory council for mezcal quality Launched in 2016 the Oaxaca based Gem Bolt brands Mezcal Old Fashioned pictured left differentiates itself from other mezcal brands through its use of the damiana plant during distillation palenque pictured right The newer entrant has generated strong off premise sales