In a category facing increased industrialization, these 10 mezcal brands are fighting to preserve regional traditions.

I wrote about how this Campari-spiked highball from Café Tacobar is an unlikely modern classic in Mexico City.

Takuma Watanabe’s frothy Tea Ceremony is on its way to “modern classic” status for me.

As mezcalerías boom stateside, these 10 bars across the US are prioritizing more than the length of their spirits list.

I explore how some Japanese-style bars in NYC are furthering a centuries-old exchange in a brand-new way.

Most tequila brands use undisclosed additives, but one couple from Guadalajara is changing that.

I co-authored The Bartender’s Pantry with Jim Meehan and Bart Sasso. Ten Speed Press, with photos by AJ Meeker.

I wrote about how the izakaya staple is gaining ground stateside as a versatile, low-ABV showcase for Japanese shochu.

I am the USA Midwest Academy Chair for The World’s 50 Best Bars, and also write articles for the organization.

I was interviewed for this PUNCH story on Mexican-American bars.

On this podcast, Stephen Lyman and I spoke about the intersections between two of the world’s most fascinating spirits: agave spirits and shochu.

My story on the use of tequila additives, published earlier this year, has been named one of the most popular of the decade for PUNCH.

My first personal essay for Good Beer Hunting, about bearing witness to mezcal production, was nominated as a finalist for an IACP award in 2023.

I was interviewed by writer Beth Demmon about the nuances of how mezcal is made for Food & Wine magazine.

I joined Hanna Lee and Michael Anstendig on their podcast to chat about my work as a writer, editor, and The World’s 50 Best Bars academy chair.

Writer Kate Bernot interviewed me for her story on the rise of American-made agave spirits for Craft Spirits Magazine.

For Wirecutter, I recommended 12 additive-free blanco tequilas that are made in a way that speaks to tradition and terroir.

Drinks International magazine’s annual Bar World 100 is a list of the industry’s most influential figures. I have been included on the list since 2023.

My TOTC award-winning story for Eater on why ancestral producers are increasingly ditching the term “mezcal” to preserve their culture.

I won two awards at Tales of the Cocktail in 2023. One for best writing, and another for best cocktail book (The Bartender’s Manifesto w/ Toby Maloney).

Journalist Abraham Rivera interviewed me for this story about the international rise of mezcal for Spanish publication El País.