DUE TO THE GLOBAL PANDEMIC, THIS EVENT HAS BEEN POSTPONED.
We are so excited to announce that in November we will be in Oaxaca, Mexico for all things MEZCAL and we want you to meet us there! Bartender Atlas has partnered up with El Rey Mezcal Bar and some friends in Oaxaca to offer you this intimate, authentic experience to the land where mezcal is made. This magical spirit has gained popularity in recent years. And while we love this, we have quickly realised that most people do not know much about the spirit and have limited access to it in their home cities. With this in mind, we have created the Mezcal Immersion trip. This trip will take you to places that you are not able to travel on your own. If you are a bartender, a cocktail enthusiast, a mezcal lover or just a traveler, we would love for you to join us on this trip.
Mezcal Immersion is taking place Thursday, November 5th to Sunday, November 8th, 2020. The trip will be all about mezcal and you will return home having a great understanding of the spirit. We will also include some cultural pieces about the beautiful state of Oaxaca. This trip will be as authentically Mexican as possible. There is so much to share!
Throughout the four days you can expect to:
• visit private palenques and meet the people who have been making mezcal for generations
• visit a mezcal distillery and how the process of making mezcal happens
• taste and experience a variety of mezcals – learn what the varieties mean, how they are made, what makes them different
• visit mezcalerías in Oaxaca
• eat food local to this region
• experience beautiful Oaxaca City
• opportunity to buy mezcal to bring home.
• visit some cultural sites that may include seeing ancient ruins and/or Hierve el Agua, the nearby petrified waterfalls
• visit a local weaving studio and learning about this art form that is local to this state in Mexico
• a few surprises!
Cost: $950 CAD (50% required as a deposit, 50% due October 15th)
Included in the trip: all of the above, transportation within Oaxaca, lunches, professional photography (the trip will be heavily photographed and you will have access to the final images after the trip).
Not included: your airfare to Oaxaca City (OAX), your accommodations (we will make recommendations), dinners and any additional drinks you choose to consume outside of the offerings within the trip.
Space for the Mezcal Immersion is extremely limited. To reserve your place and ask any questions, please contact Jess and Josh at Bartender Atlas.
Bartender Atlas and El Rey Mezcal Bar are not acting as travel agents. You are responsible for booking your own travel and stay in Oaxaca.
ABOUT US
OWEN WALKER. Owen Walker’s journey in the world of hospitality began early in life. From the age of 13, Owen found himself employed washing dishes and scrubbing pots in a family friend’s small restaurant. During the next decade, travel became a large priority in Owen’s life. Visiting much of South and Central America, he found himself cooking both part time and full time to fuel his desire to explore. After many years dedicated to culinary work, he found himself behind the bar. The act of bartending became a critical outlet for very sociable person, eager to engage and find common ground. It was still a couple years before he was introduced to a style of bartending that engaged his interest in flavor pairings and a desire to learn new technique as well as interact with a diverse group of people. After just a year and a half of employment at Bar Isabel, Owen moved into the position of Bar Manager. During this period of growth and change, Owen also started a small company with a small group of peers that is responsible for an aperativo product called Capo Capo. Managing the bar at a busy restaurant and nurturing a small business has only greater inspired Owen to collaborate and innovate new projects. Owen has recently opened a new project with partner Grant Van Gameren called El Rey Mezcal Bar. Ely Rey is an exciting cocktail bar and restaurant with a focus on Mezcal.
JESSICA BLAINE SMITH. Jess has been a professional photographer for the past fifteen years. Her camera has taken her all over the globe from New Zealand to Trinidad. Since 2006 she has regularly traveled to Mexico, multiple times each year. Thus far she has visited 18 of the 31 states in Mexico and maybe, just maybe, Oaxaca is her favourite. Jess is one half of the minds behind Bartender Atlas. She is the Virgo in our group – organising itineraries, making bookings and doing all of the tech stuff.
JOSH LINDLEY. Josh Lindley has been bartending in Toronto since 2007. Before working for Hendrick’s Gin as a Brand Ambassador he was bar manager at Campagnolo and a hired gun at Bar Isabel. He has contributed to many magazines, tv shows and newspapers with his recipes and opinions. Currently pouring at Chantecler, he enjoys being an ambassador to Toronto and talking about horror movies and music. He is the other half behind the scenes at Bartender Atlas. Our cocktail expert, executive barback and our “trilingual” member.
DARI. I love Oaxaca. I was born in Miahuatlan, close to many small mezcal producing villages. As a kid my first exposure to Mezcal was at my Grandfather’s house, where Mezcaleros would store their products that were ready for sale at the Monday street market. Years later, I made friends with Elisandro (Tosba Mezcal) and witnessed the development of their company in the Sierra Norte. From here I started to incorporate myself into the Mezcal community and travelled extensively throughout my state. With this passion for agave and my love of local cuisine, one thing lead to another and I began guiding people thad had expressed interest in knowing more about Oaxacan culture.