The Lost Explorer Mezcal Espadín, 70cl | Award Winning Artisanal Mezcal | 42%

Product Information

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. If you really take a moment to slow things down while you’re sipping your next mezcalito, perhaps you will taste the 8-12 years (in some cases more!) the agave have spent growing to reach maturity; the excursions to hunt and harvest the wild varietals; the 72-plus hours the piñas spent roasting in the earth; or days the smoky cooked piñas spent fermenting. In each stage, we celebrate the earth. Perhaps, like us, you will grow curious to explore the wonder and diversity of the revered agave species, and the nuanced flavors brought to life through each mezcal. And perhaps you, too, can tell the difference.

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. 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. While Espadín is the most commonly sourced varietal for mezcal and thus is now less commonly wild-harvested, many of the other wild, rarer varietals—such as Tobalá and Salmiana—involve the time- and labor-intensive process of foraging from their hardscrabble habitats. 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. Like many brands, especially those formed outside of Mexico, The Lost Explorer is built on a foundation of privilege and Rothschild’s is to the high end of that privilege. However, there is credit due, given the extent of the work being done to focus on the sustainable agenda, both environmental and social. Maestro Ramos and his family are shareholders in the brand and there is an emphasis on their story, and that of mezcal (rather than Rothschild’s) throughout the presentation of The Lost Explorer.Mezcal brand The Lost Explorer has launched a 200ml format ­of its Espadín, Tobalá, and Salmiana expressions to complement its core range of 700ml bottles. The Lost Explorer Mezcalitos will be available in Espadín, Tobala, and Salmaina expressions Xitlali will one day take the reins of production for The Lost Explorer, so the issue of gender equality is significant to the ongoing relationship between mezcalera and the brand. Xitlali is already stepping up to help grow the sustainable agenda of her family palenque; “I feel that all our sensitivity, vision to grow beyond what we are, and empowerment are what we as women can offer to this industry that men have mainly led in the past.” Scaling requires credible long-term capacity planning. While many new spirits brands focus on the US market only, The Lost Explorer widened its launch to include Mexico and key strategic markets with strong on-trade and luxury brand networks — specifically the UK, Australia, Greece and Italy. Future expansion plans underway target South America, mainland Europe and the Asia-Pacific region.

We could all be doing more. I tend to prefer to talk about sustainability and how, in our case, we want to be able to respect our planet and its communities while maintaining a certain level of mezcal making. I don’t think it’s just about being ‘green’. Our production is carried out in a manner that benefits the local mezcal-producing community in Oaxaca and also protects the land’s biodiversity. 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. We’ll work with what our audience wants, what barmen like, and what we can harvest sustainably. We’ll introduce limited edition blends down the line. Quality and attention to detail connect all three expressions. We’re also interested in making vintage mezcals, where we can pre-sell certain vintages and play with limited editions in a similar way to wine.Curiosity is a human emotion, similar to love or fear. It is fundamental to how we’ve evolved as a species, and it’s the essence that unites mezcal drinkers. Each of our mezcals has a distinct profile and activates this curiosity. One sip and it invites you to search out the story behind the plant and its journey. Some of these agaves have grown for over 10 years, some 12 years, and some of them 25 years. Think about all the stories that a single one of these plants has lived through. When one agave was a seed, what was going on in the world then, and how much time has it had to soak in all this curious energy that’s floating around our planet? Commitments in place at the moment include: Don Fortino being a shareholder in the company; rainwater conservation; the use of reclaimed wood; replanting at least three agaves for every agave we distil; creating fertiliser from agave waste; and using solar panels. We’ve also created ‘The Lost Laboratory’, which will play a leading role in the support of environmental improvements in the making of sustainable artisanal mezcal. 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. agave, wild crafted and artisan. There are three mezcal varietals in the range, each born from a process deeply in tune with the rhythm of nature: Espadín, Tobalá and Salmiana Mezcal makers and aficionados have an innate respect for the patience demanded by the process of mezcal-making, but you don’t have to be an expert to enjoy a slow sip and appreciate the complexities time has created here. THE PROCESS: MEZCAL VS. TEQUILA PRODUCTION

We have a huge supplier network for our agave plants, which take years before they’re ready to be harvested. Agave is a really clever plant; it’s full of sugar in the desert, which is devoid of life. Its spikes protect it from animals and it stores up all its sugars for its moment of procreation. 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 an adventurer who’s spent the last 20 years on the road, one of the places where I feel like home, no matter where I am, is around a campfire, sipping a drink and sharing stories. Being able to create something that can explore this concept of community and that sense of togetherness that comes when you’re sitting around a fire, whether literal or metaphorical, is rooted in the commitment to one another as fellow species on this planet. And this, we felt, was something really special. This story is about creating a sustainable spirit. We need more slowness versus nowness in our lives. It is good to reflect and look at the connectivity between us, Nature, and each other. Making mezcal, you are dealing with Nature’s threshold which makes it really exciting because your frame is created for you. There’s only so much agave and there’s only such a speed that it can grow, so you have to work within the rhythm of Nature.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.” Beyond consumer engagement and marketing initiatives, Escalapez offered three key, often understated, suggestions for CFOs and CIOs tasked with brand building.

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.

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The idea of The Lost Explorer began with adventurer, David de Rothschild, of the de Rothschild banking family, as a broad and eclectic selection of “luxury/expensive” items that included mezcal. The products were inspired by treasures he had collected during his time exploring the world. He describes the underlying theme of this collection as “nature and curiosity,” words that are repeated throughout statements about the Lost Explorer mezcal since its launch in 2020. “We embrace curiosity as a fundamental human sense, letting it guide us in our quest to more deeply understand mezcal, the earth and each other.” We’re aiming the brand at people who want to drink better. You can go out and have a drink or you can have an experience. The mezcal category is still quite fragmented and there aren’t any big players yet, so I hope The Lost Explorer becomes a new firm favourite. My wife is my harshest critic and it has passed the taste test with her. Proof Drinks will be putting it out into high-end hotel bars and restaurants in the UK.