Beber de los muertos

As a child growing up in Hawaii, I clung desperately to any festivity that offered to accentuate the seemingly otherwise, muted holiday atmosphere. Why don’t the leaves on the trees change color like they do in the movies? And how much longer until we can ditch tank tops for the cozy comfort of scarves and sweaters?

Halloween remains my singular defining touchstone to fall; a delightful foreshadowing of the darker, if only slightly colder, months to come. With horror flicks of demonic possessions, vampires and werewolves stalking the cable stations, I regale on how I used to spend the entire week leading up to Oct. 31 adorning myself in costumes and makeup, body paint and hair extensions, reveling in the few days I was allowed to delve into my macabre side.

Though the originally Celtic ritual of wearing masks to ward off ghosts who had returned from the dead has evolved into the American tradition of tricks and treats, there are other cultures who not only observe similar “days of the dead,” but take the opportunity to give prayer and thanks to their ancestors.

Sept. 15 marked the beginning of National Hispanic Heritage Month, which pays tribute to many countries’ liberation from Spanish rule, including Mexico, and the contributions the Latinx community has made to our country. The Mexican Day of the Dead, or “Dia de los Muertos,” traditionally recognized Nov. 1-2, honors loved ones who have passed through joyful remembrance. Certain villages even produce special potables to mark commemorative events. One example is pechuga, a style of mezcal distilled in the fall or spring, with the fruits and spices of each harvest, along with a raw chicken or turkey breast, which results with a rich, robust mouthfeel, and subtle, savory flavor.

Certain regions or villages in Oaxaca utilize unique practices to produce expressions of agave distinct to their individual traditions. These expressions are known as “single village” mezcals, whose smoky aromas are derived from the piña, or heart of the agave, being roasted in a fire pit, as opposed to tequila (whose agave piñas are either oven roasted or steamed), resulting in a cleaner mouthfeel that lacks such smolder. While the intense flavor of mezcal can be overwhelming, true connoisseurs relish the umami-filled, spicy libation with often funky vegetal or rich fruit fragrances.

Del Maguey, in partnership with the village of San Luis del Rio and distiller Paciano Cruz Nolasco, has recently released Vida Muertos, a spicier, creamier variation on their original Vida, crafted specifically in recognition of Dia de los Muertos. Let’s all raise our glasses in both cultural awareness of Hispanic Heritage Month, and loving memory of those who can no longer be here in the flesh … may they forever be with us in spirit.

Alicia Yamachika is a bartender and craft mixologist, who currently is the key account manager at Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits on Oahu. Follow her on Instagram (@alicia_yamachika). Her column will appear every second Wednesday in Crave.