We recently had the pleasure of hosting a force of nature, Alejandro Champion, one of the founders of Mezcal Unión. On the back of Alejandro’s visit, we’re offering 10% off his already fine-value Mezcal.Mezcal Unión was founded upon a mission to respect Mezcal’s artisanal traditions while providing social development and economic sustainability for the families producing the spirit. “We wanted to create a project that will allow us to share with the world an artisanal Mezcal that is about bringing people together and diversifying opportunities under a business model where the sun comes out for everyone,” says Alejandro. “That’s our intent, our vision. That’s why we do things the way we do.” Thanks to this Unión, the first three mezcaleros Champion worked with have already started their own Mezcal projects.The Unión has brought together more than 50 families across 20 palenques. The founders work directly with each palenque to ensure each batch of spirit is faithfully handcrafted. Eschewing modern technology, the piñas roast over wood-fired rock oven pits, the roasted agave is crushed using equine-powered circular stone tahona mills, and wild fermentation occurs in traditional vertical wooden tinas. Importantly, unlike many Mezcals at this price, distillation occurs in traditional copper alembics. Even the bottling and labelling is done by hand.Authenticity and affordability have never been the easiest of bedfellows—especially for a spirit often produced by techniques that have been unchanged for hundreds of years. Yet this is precisely what you get with a bottle of Mezcal Unión. Please contact your rep for a taste if you are yet to be converted!While he was in town, we sat down with Alejandro to talk about the Unión, its people and the process behind the label. You can read the interview on our website.