Guelaguetza time in Oaxaca

The Guelaguetza festival is taking place over this week in Oaxaca. It sounds like a blast! Here’s how Forbes describes the festival.

Guelaguetza comes from the Zapotec word guendalezaa which means “to cooperate” or “to offer.” As such, the festival’s ethos is based on the sharing, pitching in and helping out, particularly when it comes to food and drink. In the centre of Oaxaca, artisan markets loaded with traditional crafts sit alongside food stalls offering tlayudas, mole, tamale, epandadas, and even chapulines (grasshoppers).

Mezcal takes center stage in the festivities with five brands featuring their wares. You can go to the article in Forbes to learn a more about the brands. This one is my favorite.

Ancestral Arroqueño by Macurichos

Produced in Santiago Matatlán, Oaxaca, this is made from 100% Arroqueño in the ancestral method, meaning cooked in a conical earthen oven and distilled in clay pot stills. Maestro Mezcalero Rafael Martinez Sernas uses pine and mesquite wood to impart additional complexity. The Arroqueño is really complex, with lactic notes of butterscotch, vanilla, and caramel, and a faint citrus underpinning it. The palate is richly textured, creamy and lingers with a finish of smoke and pine.