Dallas' José Teams Up With Koch Mezcal To Produce a Stellar Spirit

We've all seen countless celebrities putting their faces and popularity behind spirits or restaurants and bars, selecting barrels for private-label bottling. But local James Beard-nominated restaurant José went five steps further and actually made it themselves.

When mezcal brand Koch El Mezcal approached Victor Rojas, general manager of the Dallas Mexican restaurant, about a potential partnership to make a custom mezcal for José — from agave to bottle — he couldn't pack his bags fast enough. This is the maiden partnership of this kind by Koch and the restaurant’s first signature spirit, so both parties learned as they went.

The José team (Rojas, beverage director Carlos Marquez and executive chef Anastacia Quiñones-Pittman) went to Oaxaca, Mexico, for four days. The team experienced every step of the process to make mezcal, which has remained almost the same for hundreds of years. They harvested the agave plants, cut them to piñas, loaded them onto trucks —  they really did the dirty work. Then they toured seven palenques (mezcal distilleries) and met the families running stills in their backyards, which allowed them to grow a deeper appreciation for the spirit and the people behind it.

The families' stories and guidance made the team's experience eye-opening and inspiring. "The families who were, in theory, competitors, would help each other with various steps of the process. It was a true community. It was beautiful," Rojas said. "Mezcal is a community project. I wanted to honor what the producers do on a daily basis. I wanted to do every part of the process so I could truly appreciate the spirit.”

"Mezcal is a community project. I wanted to honor what the producers do on a daily basis." – Victor Rojas, general manager of José

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The team found that the process, though difficult at times, was remarkable (like when their bus got stuck on the side of a mountain and they had to crawl out in fear of tumbling to their deaths). To commemorate their spiritual journey (pun intended), the José team and Koch commissioned hand-drawn art for the bottle's label that includes representations of the people who were part of the process.

The distilling process for mezcal is heavily regulated. For a spirit to be legally labeled mezcal, it must be produced in only nine Mexican states. The team witnessed the tight regulation around the spirit on their trip.

Following exploration of markets to source local ingredients, many rounds of tastings and quite a bit of trial and error, the group found their perfect blend. It's a 100% espadín (a variety of agave) dubbed Cuatro x Cuatro that's smooth and wildly flavorful, with hints of heirloom corn and apple at play with notes of chili peppers.

While the crafted spirit is exquisite on its own, the team knew they needed to create a featured cocktail to honor it. The José Way Manhattan marries their Koch Espadin Mezcal with a mild vanilla syrup, Amaro and a tinge of angostura bitters. And this cocktail is perhaps one of the best cocktails this cocktail expert [cough cough] has had the pleasure of tasting.

If you want to try their mezcal, which took two years to make, swing by José or one of their restaurant group's other outlets: Park House (Dallas & Houston), Stable Hall (San Antonio), The Moore (Miami) or Elevation Hotel (Crested Butte). To purchase a bottle, visit the Spec's at Preston and Northwest Highway. With only 1,500 bottles produced, it's a chance you need to take.

José, 4931 W. Lovers Lane. Sunday – Tuesday, 11 a.m. – 9:30 p.m.; Wednesday – Saturday, 11 a.m. – 10:30 p.m.