Aiming to improve gender equality The Lost Explorer Mezcal is partnering with the non-profit organization SiKanda and its Mujeres AVE program that provides ‘Make Your Business Grow’ seed capital funding for essential supplies & equipment to women-led businesses. Mujeres AVE is based in the Zaachila Oriente area, where the largest garbage dump in the state of Oaxaca is located. They provide tools and a safe space to promote the participation, empowerment, autonomy and agency of women, to improve the operation of their micro-businesses and increase their income and well-being.

If you can work in partnership with Nature, you’ll produce something brilliant. And that’s exactly what Fortino does, because he does it with such intentionality to respect the plant and the craft—it comes from the earth, from his hands, from his mind, his passion, his creativity, his ingenuity, his enthusiasm. We have a shared commitment and we decided that we are going to do something together that is meaningful to both of us.Investing in one of The Lost Explorer’s “luxury” mezcals, you are not just buying a bottle, but a piece of artwork, as well as supporting their choice of charities and efforts for sustainability. Like any business they still have profit targets and plans for expansion, which are challenging in this saturated market, without the addition of a high standard of sustainable practice. It remains to be seen if the expansion of the mezcal world can be tenable in general, but The Lost Explorer is in a strong position to pursue this dream, using its prestigious platform to lead the way as “the most sustainable brand in the world.” Complete list of The Lost Explorer projects and initiatives

The first time I tried Mezcal was by my hotel pool in Guadalajara, Mexico. Author Irving Welsh of ‘Trainspotting’ fame sauntered over with a bottle of the smoky agave-based spirit looking for a late-night drinking companion. I was happy to oblige. The evening ended in something of a blur but left me with a taste for this delicious spirit. Tobalá one of my favourite strains of agave as it’s really herbaceous and produces something very unique. Ours is harvested after a decade and has hints of tobacco, cocoa, vanilla and leather, offering a unique balance between wood aromas and umami flavours. The nuances in taste come from of course the different agave species themselves, but also the great sensitivities to the environment each plant has. The notion of “terroir” in wine also applies to mezcal, where the various agaves act as palettes for the earth they’re grown in. The many years the agaves take to mature means they experience many climate cycles and have a significant amount of time to soak up the characteristics of the region—the sun, aridity, altitude, soil composition, the neighboring plants sharing the soil. Traditionally, consumers are introduced to alcohol brands through “on-trade” channels via such as restaurants, bars and clubs. With hospitality venues shuttered by the pandemic, brands had to move to “off-trade” and “direct to consumer” promotion. That fledgling ambition required a leadership team that could navigate the pandemic’s severe distribution detours and unexpected marketing hurdles.I had a real love for Mexico and its culture, craft, heritage, and the depth of it all. With that inevitably came spending a lot of time there and meeting many friends. I was really touched by Fortino and his family when we met. We had this instant bond. I love the fact that whenever you arrive at Fortino’s, you sit down with the family, you have a meal, and you share stories before you do anything.

The hip flask-sized Mezcalitos are said to be perfect for the ‘mezcal curious’, and a great size for on-the-go adventuring and gifting. To have any chance of standing out in this market you have to pay homage to the craft. Consumers and bartenders have so much choice these days, so you need to capture their attention.

Germinate seeds of genetically diverse agave on our distillery land and experimentation at The Lost Laboratory Data automation transforms revenue management by building trust. Esclapez noted, “In general, our teams cannot focus on the value-added operations without reliable, transparent and timely reporting data. Our financial systems consolidates and profitability data across jurisdictions. That’s important from a regulatory perspective, but also drives are pricing strategy, product allocations and market share pursuits. Such insight is critical for effective revenue management and business growth.” The Lost Explorer mezcal is produced by Maestro Fortino Ramos, in San Pablo Huixtepec, Oaxaca. A first generation mezcalero, he has been making agave spirits for the past forty years. Now his daughter Xitlali is alongside him, learning the craft and working closely with The Lost Explorer brand. Together they are pursuing specific goals to support local economic growth and gender equality, while combating climate change.

The most interesting (and costly) bottle in the Lost Explorer lineup. Big minty notes. Some mint chip ice cream. Jonny’s review is spot on with Jolly Ranchers, I get the watermelon flavor. I can see people really getting into this one because it is not too smoky nor harsh. It is approachable and quite unique. Flavors aren’t very complex but they’re outside the average Oaxacan mezcal spectrum. Bit of water on the finish. To achieve that reach, the leadership team devised and implemented a data-driven marketing strategy aimed at both distributors and consumers. Mezcal is about discovery—it’s not handed to you on a platter. It had this allure to me—the provenance of the plant, its relationship to the ground and the earth, the smokiness, the artisanal craft. As you start to dig, you realize there’s this incredible heritage and story. I feel like there’s something really magical when you’re making the agave and you’re digging that pit, creating that fire, sitting around and waiting for days—the patience inbuilt to the process allows you to really connect. It still fascinates me to the point where I have become somewhat obsessed by it, which is why we find ourselves producing our mezcal today.

The Lost Laboratory is currently germinating seeds of genetically diverse agave on distillery land and experimenting with replanting initiatives to help expand and scale their replanting program. Agave waste is also a big focus area within the production of mezcal. In addition to repurposing agave waste into fertilizer for the land, an initiative from last year was using agave waste to make copitas. This endeavor was overseen by Maestro Fortino’s daughter, mezcalera in the making, Xitlali Ramos. As the agave spirits trend continues to take hold, people are becoming more curious and inquisitive about mezcal, and that growing interest is benefitting the premium end of the market”, commented Tanya Clarke, CEO of The Lost Explorer Mezcal. The Espadín will remain our core variant, along with our two wild expressions, Salmiana and Tobalá, depending on what nature provides us with. We love exploring the tastes that come from the different agave strains, so we will look to include new strains and blends of those strains into the range in the future.