key . Right now , the whiskey is young , a white whiskey , but they are also aging it in American oak for release at a later date . The flavor is very corn forward , like tamal and tortillas . Sounds pretty wonderful , no ?
It isn ’ t just our cocktails benefiting from this ancestral corn revival , but chefs are getting in on the action .
When they introduced their whiskey in Chicago , Rick Bayless who was a skeptic of the white whiskey at first , became a fan . As it turns out he is trying to revive native corn in Illinois as well as lending a hand in Oaxaca . Bayless isn ’ t the only chef onboard , chefs in NYC and Oakland are using ancestral corn in their restaurants . This helps in the fight against GMO corn because to fight it , reviving traditional dishes , from posoles to tamales and beyond , using these products educates consumers and strengthens the market .
From whiskey to the humble tortilla , corn is an important part of Oaxacan life . Barbieri and
to take matters into his own hands .
At Pierde Almas , they buy corn from five farms across Oaxaca to use for their whiskey . The yellow corn from a region called Chinantla in the jungle on the Vera Cruz side of Oaxaca , and one of the densest jungles in MX . Here many growers are abandoning corn to raise cattle , impacting the surrounding terrain . Their black corn comes from 10,000 feet up in the Sierra Arrzo Negro , it takes a long time to grow , with the stalks reaching up to 14 feet high . The white and red corn from the central valley of Oaxaca . Other than that , they use malted barley is used for its enzymes , with no extras added .
The mash bill is 96 % corn and 4 % malted barley . Within that 96 %, the corn variety amounts will vary . This essentially creates a snapshot of the corn harvest in Oaxaca at that point in time , not unlike the concept of terroir . Giving you a difference in “ vintage ,” with each year . Other factors that affect the flavor , include things like temperature , weather . They celebrate diversity in booze . The whiskey will always taste like whis-