Episode 5

full
Published on:

25th Mar 2022

A Taste of the North - "Vinatero" Culture

In this episode, we discuss regulation and current state of mezcal production, particularly in northern Mexico.

We speak with Luis Loya, founder of Nación de las Verdes Matas, where he sells traditional spirits from Sonora, Nuevo León, Durango and Tamaulipas.

We also speak with Diego Mayagoitia, a first-generation mezcal producer who lives in the state of Durango. Diego tells us about the importance of community organization in the face of the growing exploitation of wild agave for the production of mezcal.


The Nectar Corridor is a part of Whetstone Radio Collective from Whetstone Media - where storytelling lives. Whetstone produces original commissioned content that centers the perspectives of global majority populations and diasporas. The Nectar Corridor is part of Whetstone Radio Collective. Learn more about The Nectar Corridor here.

Find show notes here.

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About the Podcast

The Nectar Corridor
The Nectar Corridor explores the incredible world of mezcal, the most emblematic and diverse spirit of Mexico. Oaxaca-based host Niki Nakazawa takes us on an intimate journey through agave (known as maguey) fields, distilleries and the history of mezcal with the folks who live and breathe the spirit.

The Nectar Corridor is part of Whetstone Radio Collective. Whetstone Radio Collective creates storytelling dedicated to food origins and culture, with original content centering the perspectives of global majority populations and diasporas.

You can learn more about this podcast at whetstoneradio.com, on Twitter @whetstoneradio, on TikTok and Instagram @whetstonemedia and subscribe to our Spotify and YouTube channel, Whetstone Media, for more podcast content. You can learn more about all things happening at Whetstone at WhetstoneMedia.com.

Learn about the extraordinary diversity of magueys and their roles in the ecosystem, experience fermentation and distillation of mezcal with producers in Oaxaca, and hear from conservationists, mezcal commercializers, farmers and historians about the past, present and future of mezcal.

¡Bienvenides y salud desde las tierras del maguey!

To listen to the Spanish version, go to whetstonemagazine.com/el-corredor-del-nectar

About your host

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Whetstone Radio

A distinctive series of original podcasts focused on global foodways. We’re bringing you narrative-based audio stories shared through the lens of food anthropology. Empathetic in origin, with cinematic sound, and intimate, curiosity-minded conversation, WRC is like nothing you’ve heard before.