Sombra, a leader in sustainable mezcal production, has been awarded the "Leading Sustainable and Environmentally Friendly Mezcal Company" by the Mezcal Institute, as part of the 2019 Mayahuel Awards.

The official awards ceremony will take place at the Mexican Cultural Institute in Washington DC on Thursday, December 12th, 2019.  

Sombra is a handcrafted, award-winning mezcal made in Santiago Matatlán, Oaxaca, Mexico. Sombra is one of a few mezcal brands that owns and operates its own palenque – ensuring consistent quality, supply and environmentally friendly production methods.

Sombra's distillery in Oaxaca is overseen by Director-General, John Sean Fagan who explains, "Each step of Sombra's production, from fermentation to distillation, has been reimagined to reduce its environmental impact. We've created the Sombra Adobe Brick Project which upcycles agave fibers leftover from Sombra's distillation into bricks to build homes for those in need. We are excited that we made a difference, and changed how the mezcal industry views production practices."

The prominent Mayahuel Award, named after the Aztec goddess of agave, recognizes Sombra's vast sustainability initiatives which include: organic agave cultivation, water conservation, sustainable forestry, upcycling, composting, solar power, animal rights, and community support through Sombra's after-school program "Opening Doors," which provides local education in languages and the arts.

Pablo Payró Ogarrio, President of the Mezcal Institute, made the following statement: "We are honored that Mezcal Sombra has accepted the 2019 Mayahuel Award from the Mezcal Institute as the Leading Sustainability and Environmentally Friendly Mezcal Company. Mezcal Sombra has championed the principles of protecting the environment while maintaining the artisanal spirit's production process. Mezcal Sombra has developed innovative methods that include the use of renewable energy throughout the production process, harvesting organic agaves, and recycling methods of the waste involved in producing its mezcal towards a zero-waste initiative goal. Mezcal Sombra's Adobe Brick Projects is one example of its commitment to supporting the Oaxaca communities where Mezcal Sombra is produced."

Martha Jiménez Cardoso oversees The Sombra Adobe Brick Project and states, "We are overjoyed to be recognized with this award and how we have been able to help local communities through our sustainability practices. I am from the Mixe region of Mexico and it is an amazing feeling to give back to my community."

Sombra is a member of 1% for the Planet and donates 1% of revenues to vetted nonprofits in an effort to address the interrelated issues of climate change, healthy food systems, land management, water resources, pollution and wildlife diversity.

About Mezcal Institute:

Founded in 2019, the Mezcal Institute is a non-government, not-for-profit organization, based in Mexico City and in Washington D.C. The goals of the Mezcal Institute are to promote the knowledge about mezcal through education and tasting experiences and to foster the sustainable development of mezcal in every step of its production chain. We are especially interested in supporting efforts towards minimizing the risks to the wild agave plants as the mezcal category is undergoing explosive growth internationally. Finally, the Mezcal Institute would like to encourage the responsible consumption of this distilled beverage which is unique to Mexico, and which has historically been an important staple of Mexican culture and its traditions. The Mayahuel Awards are created to celebrate and recognize those companies and individuals who work hard to produce and promote this extraordinary beverage, in Mexico as well as throughout the world.

About Sombra Mezcal

Founded in 2006, Sombra Mezcal is the leader in sustainable mezcal production. Made from organically farmed, high altitude Espadín agave and distilled in Oaxaca, Mexico at the traditional strength of 90 proof, Sombra Mezcal was named the "Best Agave Spirit in the World" by F. Paul Pacult's Spirit Journal. It later earned Double Gold at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition.

In 2017, Sombra opened a new, state-of-the-art distillery (palenque) created as a model of sustainable production. The resulting Mezcal is a testament that world-class agave spirits do exist outside of Tequila. Sombra Mezcal is part of Davos Brands' premium portfolio. www.SombraMezcal.com

About Davos Brands:

Our mission is to build and develop the highest quality, best in class wine and spirits brands that create a meaningful and valuable connection with consumers.  We do this through teamwork, passion, innovation, entrepreneurial spirit, and relentless perseverance. The Davos Brands team members are recognized to be amongst the best performers in the industry; the team operates in a collegiate, open-structure, and dynamic mode.  Our team thinks out of the box and finds ways to obtain outstanding results through an entrepreneurial focus. Based in New York, the Davos Brands luxury portfolio is currently composed of TY KU Sake, Aviation Gin, Sombra Mezcal, Astral Tequila, and iichiko Shochu. www.DavosBrands.com

Source: PRNewswire

Image Source: PRNewswire