The Ancient mezcal trail

In late October of 2021, explorers Chad Anderson, Justin Fornal, and Emiliano Ruprah set out on an almost impossible task, to transport a 50 gallon oak barrel of actively fermenting agave pulp across the vast state of Oaxaca, Mexico. The purpose was to let the ferment capture the different airborne yeasts as well as spiritual energy from the entirety of Oaxaca. The route they took followed a treacherous web of interlocking ancient trade paths known as the Mezcal Trial. Their only means of navigation was an ancient map scrawled into a jicara gourd. One wrong step, the barrel spills, the mash is lost. If the journey takes one day too long then the entire mash will spoil.

the whole of Oaxaca in a single bottle

During the month of October 2021, on behalf of Sentir Mezcal Artesanal, Explorer's Club members Chad Anderson, Justin Fornal, and Emiliano Ruprah transported a 50 gallon oak barrel of fermenting agave over 3,000 miles through the state of Oaxaca, Mexico with the goal of creating the world's most unique mezcal.

One of the key ingredients in mezcal production are the natural airborne yeasts that convert the roasted agave's natural sugars into alcohol. These yeasts differ from region to region. An inland mountain mezcal will taste different from a mezcal produced near the ocean, even if the same water and agave were to be used. By exposing the 'traveling ferment' to as many different ecosystems as possible before distillation, the mash had a chance to absorb a variety of local airborne yeasts and in turn have a flavor that represents the whole of Oaxaca in a single bottle.

The ferment used to produce the contents of this bottle traveled through caves, swamps, mountains, and deserts via donkey cart, railroad pump car, row-boat, and human back. The intrepid journey of history's first traveling ferment produced only 25 numbered bottles of mezcal and would be impossible to recreate. This limited production of Sentir's Camino de Mezcal are holy grail bottles for the serious mezcal collector and a once in a lifetime drinking experience for all.