About the Del Maguey Team
Behind every green bottle of Del Maguey is an interconnected village of artisans, families, and environmental advocates who protect the deep cultural history of Mexico. Originally founded in 1995 by visual artist Ron Cooper following a life-changing journey down the Pan-American highway, Del Maguey was built to step out of the shadows and introduce true, artisanal mezcal to the world.
Our story belongs entirely to the indigenous families who safeguard centuries-old methods. It begins in the arid climates of Oaxaca, where our skilled jimadores carefully harvest unique agave species, stripping away spiky leaves to find the sweet hearts, or piñas, hidden within. From there, our village maestros treat the spirit like magic: slow-roasting the piñas in underground earthen pits lined with hot stones, utilizing burros and heavy stone Tahona wheels to mash the agave, and letting natural ambient fermentation shape our signature sweet and smoky character.
We do things as a community, with a strict reverence for both the land and its people. Whether we are double-distilling our widely loved VIDA Collection using rich Espadín agave, celebrating local terroir across our Village Tradiciones, or exploring luxury and innovation with premium selections like Pechuga and Ibérico, we preserve a distinct taste of place.
Beyond the distillery, our team is fiercely dedicated to environmental and social responsibility. Through collective initiatives alongside established NGOs, we work to empower our partner communities by funding medical brigades, apiculture programs for bee pollination, wild agave nurseries, and educational programs. Today, we welcome you to join our village family as we continue pioneering the mezcal revolution with artistic souls across the globe.
Our Heritage and Craft at a Glance
- Collective Roles: Maestro Mezcaleros, Jimadores, & Indigenous Producing Families
- Established: Introduced artisanal single village mezcal to the world in 1995
- Headquarters: Sourced from ancestral villages across Oaxaca, Mexico
- Team Accolades: Praised by the New York Times as offering an opportunity to taste “some of the best in the world”
- Core Pillars: Replanting wild agave, upcycling by-products, linguistic preservation, and supporting rural community health
