Season 10 · Episode 15
Mezcal brand Quiquiriqui's unusual origin story
Mezcal enthusiast Melanie Symonds fell in love with agave spirits on visiting Mexico in 2011. Not long after, she had opened a mezcal bar underneath a kebab shop in East London, and later came the Quiquiriqui Mezcal brand.
Drinks Adventures - Wine, beer, whisky, gin & more with James Atkinson
September 6, 202150m 6s
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Show Notes
A podcast for lovers of wine, beer, liquor (incl. whisky, whiskey, bourbon, gin, vodka, tequila etc) and cocktails, Drinks Adventures hosts wine makers, brewing and distilling experts, sommeliers, bartenders & more.
Mezcal featured in Season 9 of the podcast when we met Grant Collins, who had recently opened the mezcal-focused bar and restaurant Cartel in Sydney.
One of the mezcals I tasted with Grant during that interview was Quiquiriqi.
And the more I read about Quiquiriqui, the more I thought it would be a grand idea to invite its London-based founder, Melanie Symonds, onto the show.
You may also like:
With no background whatsoever in drinks or hospitality, Melanie's path to being a mezcal brand owner was unconventional, to say the least.
She fell in love with the spirit on visiting Mexico in 2011 and returned to London with the pretty half-baked plan – I don’t think Melanie would mind me saying that – of opening a mezcal bar underneath a kebab shop in East London.
Soon after came the Quiquiriqui Mezcal brand, which Melanie makes in direct partnership with families who have been producing mezcal traditionally in their communities for generations.
But I’ll leave it to Melanie to tell you in her own words how Quiquiriqui came to be.
More must-listen episodes:
Tags: gin, distilling, distillery, distiller, liquor, craft spirits, cocktail, cocktails, drink, drinks, wine, winemaking, winemaker, viticulture, beer, craft beer, brewing, agave, tequila, mezcal, bartender, bartenders, sommelier, sommeliers, cicerone, whisky, whiskey, cognac, bourbon, rum, vodka, vineyard, mixology, bars, pubs, restaurants
Mezcal featured in Season 9 of the podcast when we met Grant Collins, who had recently opened the mezcal-focused bar and restaurant Cartel in Sydney.
One of the mezcals I tasted with Grant during that interview was Quiquiriqi.
And the more I read about Quiquiriqui, the more I thought it would be a grand idea to invite its London-based founder, Melanie Symonds, onto the show.
You may also like:
- The NBA’s wine obsession, with Baxter Holmes of ESPN: S10E1
- UK wine writer Matthew Jukes on non-alc wine & more: S12E1
- Brewing legend Chuck Hahn's 50-year global brewing odyssey: S11E2
- Iconic cocktails: Julio Bermejo, creator Tommy’s Margarita cocktail: S4E8
With no background whatsoever in drinks or hospitality, Melanie's path to being a mezcal brand owner was unconventional, to say the least.
She fell in love with the spirit on visiting Mexico in 2011 and returned to London with the pretty half-baked plan – I don’t think Melanie would mind me saying that – of opening a mezcal bar underneath a kebab shop in East London.
Soon after came the Quiquiriqui Mezcal brand, which Melanie makes in direct partnership with families who have been producing mezcal traditionally in their communities for generations.
But I’ll leave it to Melanie to tell you in her own words how Quiquiriqui came to be.
More must-listen episodes:
- Two Paddocks wine with Sam Neill, pinot noir obsessive: S6E6
- Wine critic Jancis Robinson on the changing world of wine: S4E4
- Brewing historian Tara Nurin, and beer sensory expert Briony Liebich: S11E6
- Cocktails meet coffee with Mr Black Spirits: S8E5
Tags: gin, distilling, distillery, distiller, liquor, craft spirits, cocktail, cocktails, drink, drinks, wine, winemaking, winemaker, viticulture, beer, craft beer, brewing, agave, tequila, mezcal, bartender, bartenders, sommelier, sommeliers, cicerone, whisky, whiskey, cognac, bourbon, rum, vodka, vineyard, mixology, bars, pubs, restaurants