Mezcal Carreño US Celebrates One Year Anniversary and Launches New Expression
(PRESS RELEASE) In February of 2019, Mezcal Carreño (MezcalCarrenoUS.com) brought their artisanal premium mezcal exclusively to Arizona. Since then, the owners of the U.S. operations, Ivan Carreño and Abel Arriaga, have quickly spread the appreciation of this smoky agave spirit across the state. Now found in over two hundred accounts and counting, they have established Mezcal Carreño as Arizona’s premium mezcal of choice. Mezcal Carreño US has released a new expression and label design to their collection – the Espadín agave varietal – in advance of their one-year anniversary of launching in the U.S. Each expression of the Carreño line is produced from wild agaves from the central valleys of Oaxaca. The five unique varietals of Espadín, Tobalá, Tobasiche, Tepeztate, and Ensamble 7 highlight the dynamic range of flavors mezcal can offer in every sip. “We are so grateful to be accepted as part of the Arizona community,” says Ivan Carreño, COO of Mezcal Carreño. “I was born in Oaxaca and raised in Arizona, so having our mezcal be the bridge between the two is a dream come true for me.”
Over the past year, Carreño has hosted multiple mezcal collaboration dinners with some of the valley’s most talented chefs. Partnering with top chefs like Tamara Stanger from Cotton and Copper, Samantha Sanz from Talavera, Juan Zamora from Chula Seafood, Mike Mahalick from Peoria Artisan Brewery and Marcos Seville from the Montelucia resort, they have brought cuisine and mezcal together like never before. “Being part of the vibrant culinary scene in Arizona is so exciting with so many amazing chefs wanting to work with our mezcal,” states Abel Arriaga, CEO of Mezcal Carreño US. “The chefs’ senses are so powerful; it’s fascinating to hear them describe the flavors and aromas they get from each one of our mezcals.”
In advance of their one-year anniversary, Mezcal Carreño is planning multiple unique events across the city in February. Save the date for Monday, January 10 for a special five-course mezcal-paired dinner at SumoMaya. On Thursday, February 13, Sol Mexican Cocina will be screening an agave film documentary accompanied by bites and flights to showcase Mexican cuisine. As a health-conscious effort, they have also partnered with Earn Your Booze to host a morning hike on February 15 at Phoenix Mountain Preserve, followed by drinks at nearby restaurant. Later that day, come along on an Aztec Goddess of Agave Mayahuel mezCrawl in downtown Phoenix to experience unique mezcal cocktails at multiple bars and restaurants while learning about the Aztec legend of the 400 drunken rabbits. “Our goal is to inspire people to want to visit Mexico through our mezcal. Our focus is on education by teaching the culture and history of Oaxaca so one day you can experience it yourself” says Abel Arriaga.
On February 21, from 7 to 9 pm, the one-year anniversary celebration will be hosted at Céntrico in the historic San Carlos Hotel, the first account to carry Mezcal Carreño in Arizona. Join the festivities with live music, loteria and prizes given throughout the evening. Céntrico will offer a special on Carreño flights and a one-night-only exclusive Carreño Cocktail featuring the newly-released Carreño Espadín mezcal. “This past year has flown by and we are excited for 2020. The mezcal interest in Arizona has exploded since we started; the future is very bright and we are glad we get to call Arizona home,” says Ivan Carreño.
About Mezcal Carreño: For more than 100 years, the Carreño family has been producing artisanal mezcal in San Dionisio Ocotlán, a town of just 1,000 people in Oaxaca, Mexico. Using traditional and sacred techniques passed down from generation to generation, Mezcal Carreño started in 1904 by Don Apolonio Carreño on a former sugar cane farm. Knowing the value of his mezcal, Apolonio only shared his mezcal with family and friends. However, it wasn’t long before his mezcal became well-known throughout the community. In 2010, Apolonio’s granddaughter, Lorena, went through the process of certifying the family’s mezcal with the Mexican Regulatory Council of the Quality of Mezcal. In 2018, Apolonio’s great-grandson, Ivan Carreño, brought Mezcal Carreño to the United States for the first time with longtime friend Abel Arriaga. Both Ivan and Abel’s passion for mezcal and the culture around it have inspired them to share Mezcal Carreño. Today, there are five unique varieties of Mezcal Carreño including Espadín, Tobalá, Tobasiche, Tepeztate, and Ensamble 7 which are still handcrafted on the family’s land in Oaxaca.
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