WOMEN IN THE OAXACA MEZCAL INDUSTRY
PALENQUERAS NO LONGER SIMPLY UNSUNG HEROES
But Mezcal Educational Tours of Oaxaca has taken upon itself to illustrate in the course of one its more specialized agave distillate excursions, that women and girls play a much more vital role in the industry of this iconic Mexican spirit.
Yes, there are female entrepreneurs who now recognize that attaching their names to the industry will increase sales, and so we find brands promoting their female owned palenques. But in many cases these women do not themselves “make” mezcal, but rather are in charge of family operations. We eschew this type of involvement, if it means simply using the name Juana or Lidia or María to increase the family’s sales, or even if it means ameliorating the economic lot of the female owner. To our thinking these women are not palenqueras if they only rarely if ever get their hands dirty and bloodied out in the fields or hills harvesting agave, loading the oven and then removing the sweet baked agave from it, testing the ferment to ensure its readiness for distillation, filling and emptying the stills, and finally adjusting the heads, body and tails to arrive at the optimum flavor of the then perfected agave distillate we caringly refer to as mezcal. But on the other hand if these women are in fact both in charge of and participate in it all, then they are indeed palenqueras.
At Mezcal Educational Excursions we visit mezcal distilleries which are not only owned by women, but are fully operated by women, with men employed in a support capacity only. In one case the palenque had previously been owned by the woman’s father now retired from active participation, in another case a young woman, a lawyer, was forced to take over the family business after her father had succumbed to COVID-19 (though she had in fact been learning from her father since toddler age), and in yet another case a bright young women not from a mezcal-making family rejected her bilingual college education in favor of becoming a full-fledged palenquera, a move which her fellow villagers (and at first instance her family) thought inappropriate. And there are other examples we illustrate through visits into family homes.
And despite the emphasis on women in the Oaxacan mezcal industry, Mezcal Educational Tours ensures that visits are made to both artisanal copper distilled agave operations, as well as to ancestral olla de barro or clay pot distillation facilities, in both cases owned and operated by women.
The annual increases in higher education for bright young women, a global phenomenon for over the past half century or more, includes the children of Oaxacan palenqueros. One finds the extra disposable income in mezcal-producing families as a consequence of the mezcal boom being spent to educate in particular their female children. The result? More women are able to then use their new-found way of thinking to benefit their families’ means of producing and marketing their mezcal, including at an international level.
FAQs
1. Do I need to be a mezcal expert to join?
Not at all. For this tour a particular interest in women entrepreneurs makes the day a little more revealing. But more generally, often guests arrive with little or no prior knowledge of either mezcal or women in the industry. The experience is designed to be engaging for beginners and experts alike, and to illustrate the significant contribution women make to the industry.
2. Are the tours private or group-based?
All tours are private and customized unless you specifically request to join others.
3. How long does a typical tour last?
Most guests choose a full-day experience visiting several palenques, though shorter and extended options (including multi-day itineraries) are available.
4. Is it safe to visit rural distilleries?
Yes. Tours are carefully planned and led by licensed professionals with deep local relationships with these women and their family members, ensuring a safe and respectful educational experience.
5. Can dietary preferences or special interests be accommodated?
Absolutely. Whether it’s a cooking class, specific mezcal interests, or travel with children, we tailor the experience to your dietary needs which includes for vegans, vegetarians, kosher diners, etc.
6. Does it matter if our group is comprised of only men?
Not at all. These women agave distillers are always anxious to expose their craft and expertise to all.
