Ismael Gomez, founder of Laika Spirits, has brought some of the rarest and delicious spirits into the States. From a love of Sotol with Flor Del Desierto, Cruz de Fuego Mezcal, or Tuxca with Balancan, his affinity for the esoteric and seemingly unattainable flavors allow us to taste them en masse. But what makes this expanding catalog of spirits function, how have things changed in shutdown, and will Ismael every stop and lounge on a beach someday? We chat, GDL, college, laws, and fear.
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Ep 299 – Gabriel Velázquez Zazueta: Cascading Creativity
Gabriel Gilberto Velazquez Zazueta is a Renaissance man of design. Whether it’s designing the beautiful items for Tuyo or co-hosting the agave-centric podcast Hey Hey Agave, he has his mind on design. After studying design in CDMX, an amazing opportunity brought him to the US and a whole new life began. Most recently Gabriel has joined the team at El Buho Mezcal. We chat about citizenship, love, creativity, and territorialism.
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Ep 298 – Red Parker: Caring for Each Other
Red Parker is one of the founders of El Buho Mezcal, a truly accessible spirit and the result of an intimate relationship with the Jimenez Mendez family in Matatlán. Red is a brilliant guitar player, and his love of creativity has drawn him to entrepreneurialism, music, and of course…..mezcal. We chat Nirvana, community, and learning things over again.
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Ep 293 – Leslie Cobos: A Rebel With a Cause
It has been a very serpentine road for Cinco Sentido’s Leslie Cobos. Spending much of her youth in Ciudad de Juarez and El Paso, her Mexican heritage paired perfectly with her affinity for hospitality. With a formative move to Fort Worth, the challenges of understanding American culture, learning English, and fitting into the new environment met her head on. After leaving the world of politics disillusioned by the system, an agave opportunity changed her life forever. We chat Mezcal, travel, cultural heritage, and that DJ life….
