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The Nectar Corridor — Arts
The Nectar Corridor

The Nectar Corridor explores the incredible world of mezcal, the most emblematic and diverse spirit of Mexico. Oaxaca-based host Niki Nakazawa takes us on an intimate journey through agave (known as maguey) fields, distilleries and the history of mezcal with the folks who live and breathe the spirit.

The Nectar Corridor is part of Whetstone Radio Collective. Whetstone Radio Collective creates storytelling dedicated to food origins and culture, with original content centering the perspectives of global majority populations and diasporas.

You can learn more about this podcast at whetstoneradio.com, on Instagram and Twitter @whetstoneradio, on TikTok @whetstonemedia and subscribe to our Spotify and YouTube channel, Whetstone Media, for more podcast content. You can learn more about all things happening at Whetstone at WhetstoneMedia.com.

Learn about the extraordinary diversity of magueys and their roles in the ecosystem, experience fermentation and distillation of mezcal with producers in Oaxaca, and hear from conservationists, mezcal commercializers, farmers and historians about the past, present and future of mezcal.

¡Bienvenides y salud desde las tierras del maguey!

To listen to the Spanish version, go to whetstonemagazine.com/el-corredor-del-nectar

Copyright: © 2022

Latest Episodes:

What Makes a Good Mezcal? Apr 29, 2022

In this episode, we speak with Cynthia Villalobos from Aventureros del Mezcal and Jesús Espina Ortiz from Archivo Maguey about their efforts to shine a spotlight on mezcal and the folks that make it.
Cynthia provides financial, educational and technical support in order to elevate independent mezcalero brands. And Jesús offers unique mezcal tastings using his knowledge and passion for design.
Learn more about this episode of The Nectar Corridor at www.whetstoneradio.com, on IG and Twitter at @whetstoneradio, and YouTube at /WhetstoneRadio.

Read the full transcript here: https://www.whetstonemagazine.com/nc-eng10-transcript

Topics covered in the episode:

Min 1:05: Meet Cynthia Villalobos
MIn 2:17: Mezcal production costing
Min 3:35: The “tequio” (community work)
Min 4:19: Challenges for mezcal producers
Min 6:25: Aventureros del Mezcal Association (Mezcal Adventurers Association)
Min 8:12: Reforestation and conservation of magueys
Min 9:19: What is called fair payment/price
Min 9:58: The maguey cost table from CRM (Mezcal Regulatory Council)
Min 10:48: Vinasse (waste) treatment and impact mitigation
Min 12:38: Quemical parameters for selling mezcal
Min 18:39: Meet Jesus Espina Ortiz
Min 21:41: Application of design principles to mezcal
Min 24:46: Festivals and brands in the early 2000s
Min 28:05: Methodology to analyze mezcal sensorially
Min 29:32: Teachers who inspired the methodology
Min 31:00 Key moments in the discovery of the methodology

The History of Pulque Apr 22, 2022

In this episode we talk with Raúl Guerrero about pulque, a maguey-based fermented drink that has its origins in pre-Hispanic times and has been consumed for more than 2,000 years.
Raúl is a cultural manager and researcher of pulque from the State of Hidalgo. Pulque comes from native Mexico, traversing many of the territory's historical periods, and in some ways, precedes mezcal as its older sibling.
Learn more about this episode of The Nectar Corridor at www.whetstoneradio.com, on IG and Twitter at @whetstoneradio, and YouTube at /WhetstoneRadio.

Read the full transcript here: https://www.whetstonemagazine.com/nc-eng9-transcript

Mezcal Rituals with Asis Cortés and Mar de Cortés Apr 15, 2022

This episode we take a spiritual journey through the rituals that accompany mezcal. Niki meets with Mar de Cortés and Asís Cortés in their space called "Espiritus Mágicos" and together they examine mezcal culture from a different perspective.
The traditions of the peoples, families and origins of mezcal remain in those who care about creating a connection through rituals, extending respect for the culture and mezcal production through generations.
Learn more about this episode of The Nectar Corridor at www.whetstoneradio.com, on IG and Twitter at @whetstoneradio, and YouTube at /WhetstoneRadio.

Read the full transcript: https://www.whetstonemagazine.com/nc-eng-8-transcript

Topics covered in this episode:

Min 0:45: Mar and Asis credits
Min 0:58: Welcome to "Espíritus Máxicos"
Min 2:10: Meet Asis Cortés
Min 4:28: Meaning of "dixeebe"
Min 6:29: History of the Cortés family
Min 8:24: Mezcal in Matatlán in the end of the 80s and during the 90s
Min 10:08: Challenges and new era of valorization of mezcal
Min 13:54: Meet Mar de Cortés
Min 16:53: Mezcal rituals of Zapotec tradition
Min 18:51: Respect to mezcal and its legacy
Min 20:15: The Mezcal Altar
Min 22:01: Mezcal like a soul without a body
Min 22:30: Prayer and toast with mezcal

Mapping Mezcal Apr 08, 2022

In this episode we explore two maps: one on the diversity of magueyes and mezcal traditions throughout Mexico (created, among others, by Jorge Larson) and the other on the productive regions of Oaxaca and their local magueyes (created by Rion Toal).
Both perspectives help us develop a better understanding of the great wealth of mezcal magueyes, landscapes, and traditions in Oaxaca and the rest of the country.
We invite you to follow along with the maps to better understand the conversations.
Jorge Larson's map: www.bit.ly/larsonmap
The Rion Toal Map: www.bit.ly/rionmap
Learn more about this episode of The Nectar Corridor at www.whetstoneradio.com, on IG and Twitter at @whetstoneradio, and YouTube at /WhetstoneRadio.

Topics covered in this episode:

Min 1:28: Meet Jorge Larson Guerra
MIn 2:13: Diversity of biological resources
Min 2:58: Research made for the map Mezcales and Diversity
Min 3:30: Importance of Illustration and purpose of the map “Mezcales and diversity”
Min 4:14: How the map “Mezcales and Diversity” was distributed
Min 5:19: Mezcal: Denomination of Origin
Min 6:19: Challenges and tools for independent mezcal producers
Min 10:19: Networks of mezcal producers, researchers and government officials
Min 11:55: Meet Rion Toal
Min 12:52: Rion´s involvement in mezcal
Min 14:19: Creation of the Association “Maestros del Mezcal”
Min 16:07: Categories in the map of Mezcal producing regions of Oaxaca
Min 16:54: Mezcal producing regions of Oaxaca: a tour of the map
Min 28:36: Importance of research and information about producing regions

From Mezcal "Expendios" to Mezcalerías Apr 01, 2022

In this new episode, we cover the history of mezcal from the mid-1900s to the present day. We speak with Félix Monterrosa, creator of the mezcalería "Cuish". Félix retells anecdotes of more than half a century of a family dedicated to mezcal.
The conversation touches on historical issues related to conflicts between mezcal producers/marketers and authorities. Niki and Félix dicuss the long history of prohibition, corruption and high taxes. Faced with these phenomena, there were different unions between the mezcal workers who raised their voices to mitigate the persecution.
Learn more about this episode of The Nectar Corridor at www.whetstoneradio.com, on IG and Twitter at @whetstoneradio, and YouTube at /WhetstoneRadio.

A Taste of the North - "Vinatero" Culture Mar 25, 2022

In this episode, we discuss regulation and current state of mezcal production, particularly in northern Mexico.
We speak with Luis Loya, founder of Nación de las Verdes Matas, where he sells traditional spirits from Sonora, Nuevo León, Durango and Tamaulipas.
We also speak with Diego Mayagoitia, a first-generation mezcal producer who lives in the state of Durango. Diego tells us about the importance of community organization in the face of the growing exploitation of wild agave for the production of mezcal.
Learn more about this episode of The Nectar Corridor at www.whetstoneradio.com, on IG and Twitter at @whetstoneradio, and YouTube at /WhetstoneRadio.

The Nectar Corridor Mar 18, 2022

In this episode, we learn the significance of "the nectar corridor" and what it reveals about the relationships between soil conservation, agave, pollinators, and mezcal production. To explore these connections, we speak to conservationist Diana Pinzon and agronomist Mario Acevedo.
Learn more about this episode of The Nectar Corridor at www.whetstoneradio.com, on IG and Twitter at @whetstoneradio, and YouTube at /WhetstoneRadio.

What's in a Mezcal? - From Fermentation to Distillation Mar 11, 2022

In part two of "What's in a Mezcal?", we continue our tours with producers Eduardo Angeles and Cuca Cortez. We learn about fermentation, the native yeasts and friendly microbes that transform sugar into alcohol, and how each maker approaches distillation.
Learn more about this episode of The Nectar Corridor at www.whetstoneradio.com, on IG and Twitter at @whetstoneradio, and YouTube at /WhetstoneRadio.

Temas tratados en el episodio:

Min 1:53: Meet Eduardo Ángeles
Min 2:22: Fermentation: smell and description
Min 3:25: Native yeast
Min 4:05: Distillation and distillery system in Santa Catarina Minas
Min 5:21: First Distillation: “yiye” or “common” (común)
Min 7:39: Mezcal Rituals in Santa Catarina Minas
Min 11:15: Meet Cuca Cortez
Min 11:42: Different tools for maguey crushing
Min 12:56: Fermentation in vats
Min 15:10: Gravity designed palenque
Min 16:19: Distillation with refrescadera (cooling jacket)
Min 18:13: Venencia and other important terms
Min 22:23: Final composition of the mezcal

What's in a Mezcal? - From the Field to the Oven Mar 04, 2022

What goes into making mezcal? In this first of a two-part episode, we learn about the life cycle of the agave plant, how they reproduce, how long they take to mature, and what their cooking process entails. We visit with producers Eduardo Angeles of Lalocura in Santa Catarina Minas and Cuca Cortez of mezcal Cortez in La Pila, Miahuatlan.
Learn more about this episode of The Nectar Corridor at www.whetstoneradio.com, on IG and Twitter at @whetstoneradio, and YouTube at /WhetstoneRadio.

Temas tratados en el episodio:

Min 2:06: Meet Eduardo Ángeles
Min 2:43: Objectives of the agave nursery
Min 3:13: Different maguey species. When are the magueys ready to harvest?
Min 4:22: Maguey lifecycle: the “quiote”
Min 5:31: Cut the maguey and obtain “piñas”
Min 6:20: Natural plague control with spiders and birds
Min 6:56: Sightseeing of different maguey species in the field
Min 8:00: Oven for maguey cooking in Santa Catarina Minas
Min 11:15: Meet Cuca Cortez
Min 12:06: Harvest and maguey selection seasons: Lunar cycle.
Min 13:03: Different types of soils for planting maguey
Min 13:42: Oven: process of maguey cooking in La Pila Miahuatlán.

Mezcal: It's Everything Feb 25, 2022

Welcome to The Nectar Corridor, a podcast where we explore the incredible world of mezcal. In this first episode, we consider what mezcal means to some of the people who have dedicated their lives to it. We speak with Sosima Olivera, Marco Ochoa, and Eduardo Ángeles about their family legacies, their relationships to the plants they work with, and how they have fought to preserve the mezcal-making traditions of their respective communities.
Sósima Olivera is a maestra mezcalera and co-founder of the Tres Colibri cooperative and the traditional mezcal brand, Fanekantsini. Marco Ochoa is owner of the Gusto Histórico agave spirits brand and co-founder of the rural tourism company Mezcouting. Eduardo Angeles is a fourth-generation maestro mezcalero from Santa Catarina Minas, and the visionary behind Lalocura.
Learn more about this episode of The Nectar Corridor at www.whetstoneradio.com, on IG and Twitter at @whetstoneradio, and YouTube at /WhetstoneRadio.

Trailer - The Nectar Corridor Feb 24, 2022

Here’s a first look at what to expect from our new podcast, The Nectar Corridor, as narrated by host Niki Nakazawa (@nikinakazawa). The Spanish version is already out, but it will stream in English starting on February 25.

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