Labor

Gregorio Velasco is the co-founder of Dos Hombres mezcal alongside actors Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul. He shares life lessons that have shaped his ...

In terms of mezcal production, when we started cooking higher volumes of agave pinas, it became crucial to keep an almost permanent watch on the conic oven while heat is on, and afterwards (after concluding the cooking of pinas). Making mezcal is also a great way to stay in tune with nature, with the very soil we step on; when you work the land and grow agaves, you end up relating to the seasons of the year in a very special way. When it comes to mezcal, there is only the right timing for every step of the process. In fact, there is only one phone in the whole village! It is meant to be shared to connect with nature. Because of its ingredients and the time and effort it takes to produce tobala, it is considered sacred and detoxing to some communities. There is an unspoken balance when you become aware of your place on earth and having the chance to connect with all this every day. When I was still a kid, I used to be fascinated by the cooking process of agave. Making sure you are aware of every tiny detail in the process from agaves being at ripe point to be harvested, to watching out for the copper stills heat and temperature. It is funny, because he used to say time does not go back, and yet here I am, aiming to make the most of the present, while keeping in mind valuable life lessons he taught me. Yes, it is a passion of mine but more so it’s the ability to do something I love that connects me to my family. Velasco: To me, being a maestro is more than just a passion — it’s my heritage.