Dear friends,

The first signs of spring are finally beginning to reveal themselves—though as we all know, the real warm weather days are still a ways away. This month, we’re taking a sunny mental escape to Mexico with our flipbook feature and are highlighting a handful of tequila, mezcal, and sotol brands that we are extremely proud to work with.

Each of the below producers embodies the notion of what it means to be an artisan, and their bottles promise to keep us all toasty until the real seasonal weather settles in (we’ll be getting a head start sooner rather than later).

To place an order, please respond to this email directly or contact your rep.

Cheers, The HRWS Team

Abre Ojos

Abre Ojos is a craft tequila brand focused on producing high-quality spirits at accessible prices. The company was founded in 2010 by Kirk Agostini, who worked with a partner distillery for three years to perfect Abre Ojos’ unique recipes. Today, the estate comprises 80 hectares of agave plants.

All bottles are produced in individual batches and are made from twice-distilled 100% Blue Weber agave. In the distillery, the agave steams for one to two days in traditional brick ovens and is fermented with native yeasts in open-air vessels. Abre Ojos bottles are known for their signature earthy flavors and pleasant vegetal undertones. Note: Abre Ojos means “open eyes,” which the founders suggest all spirits lovers slow down and do—sip, savor, and enjoy.

Cruz de Fuego

Cruz de Fuego is spearheaded by mother-son duo Margarita Blas and Carlos Mendez Blas. Located in the village of Santiago Matatlán, which is deemed the ‘world capital of mezcal,’ this intuitive duo relies mostly on their five senses to produce the most personality-driven spirits possible.

In the distillery, Margarita and Carlos ferment and distill in underground stone ovens, tahonas, and copper stills. As the duo says, “Small inconsistencies create subtle and distinct flavors, like the multiple notes that work together to become symphonies. These symphonies are what we share with you in every bottle of Cruz De Fuego.”

Flor del Desierto

Flor del Desierto is a sotol brand featuring a variety of producers, regions, and varieties of wild-harvested sotol plants from across the state of Chihuahua. The brand was founded by a small group of friends after one of them—named Flor—won a baking competition using sotol as his magic ingredient. Today, the spirits are produced at two different distilleries by two master sotoleros, Gerardo Ruelas Hernandez and Jose ‘Chito’ Fernandez.

Similar to agave, the sotol plant is a shrub-adjacent succulent that looks similar, though contrary to agave, can continue blooming post-harvest. The distillation process is similar to that of mezcal and uses only native wood, which leaves a signature smoky flavor and offers an authentic sense of place.