Purveyors of all things Mexican, Milpa Collective’s Potts Point-based outpost Casa Merida announces a series of mezcal masterclasses hosted by Lucas Fongarnand throughout June and July.
The intimate masterclasses will cover all bases and look to share the experience of mezcal production and its sensory journey to the heart of Mexico with guests able to choose their area from the below:
Wednesday 15 June: Introduction to mezcals
The love of Mezcal is central to the Milpa Collective family. We have a deep admiration and respect for all that it entails – the production, the various flavour profiles and most importantly, the rich cultural heritage behind it. In this first chapter of the Milpa Masterclass series, we want to share the experience of mezcal production and its sensory journey to the heart of Mexico.
Wednesday 22 June: Tequila Masterclass – More than Shots with special guest Kass Hill (Vanguard Luxury Brands)
Salt, lime, shot. 10 years ago, would you have imagined that there was any more to tequila, other than a terrible hangover? We’ve all been there. But luckily the world of Tequila is a lot different nowadays, with a huge array of high-quality products readily available to everyone – it’s now easy to find the good stuff that you won’t regret drinking the following day (and won’t come with salt and lime!).
Wednesday 6 July: Margarita Perfection
It’s the perfect cocktail for any occasion. Afternoon, before dinner, late night… The tart-but-sweet, strong-but-smooth taste makes it the favourite of millions worldwide. But what goes into making the perfect margarita? As with all things that seem simple, there is more to it than meets the eye – and more than one school of thought on how a Margarita should be made!
Wednesday 13 July: Born to be Wild – Wild and rare mezcals
In this, the second chapter in the Milpa Mezcal Masterclass series, we take a deeper look at the world of mezcal, exploring the world of rare and sought after Mezcals that come from the wild species of agave used in their production. Mezcal can be produced from any one of around 35 agave species, and each bottle is generally produced from a single varietal. Some of these species only exist in the wild, and cannot be commercially cultivated. In most cases they are small, hard to find, and take upwards of 15-20 years to be able to be harvested for mezcal production – sometimes producing only a single bottle per plant!
Mezcal is having a big moment, it’s the fastest-growing spirit category around the globe and no longer just the smoky cousin of tequila.
An Oaxaca-based mezcal expert with six years of experience in the heart of Mexico, Lucus Fongarnand recently opened a speakeasy bar in the Mexican city dedicated to local spirits, wines and beers. On their friendship, Milpa Collective Co-Founder Liber Osorio reminisces “We met with Lucas in 2017 in Oaxaca when he was managing Mezcalogia, one of the first bars dedicated to Mezcal in Oaxaca. We have been in contact since then and I visit him every time I go to Mexico.” He Continues “Lucas is one of the guys behind BALTA, Milpa exclusive mezcal made by Rodrigo Martinez. We have been planning his visit to Australia for a long time but because of Covid, we haven’t been able to do it.”
Casa Merida’s Mezcal Masterclasses will run on Wednesdays throughout June and July with limited tickets for $65pp.
Casa Merida
5 Kellett Street
Potts Point NSW 2011, Australia
info@casamerida.com.au | +61 2 7226 8802
