OUR STORY
From the mountains of Oaxaca’s Sierra Norte to the Silicon Valley of California, and back.
When it came down to find a name for our mezcal we were with our friends having "only one" glass of mezcal and just like in the tequio (assembly) we asked every one what the name it should be then one of our friends Heraclio said "TOSBA" as in only one. TOSBA means only one in the Zapotec language of Oaxaca. Our village is small and as it was rural life in many parts of the world it still is in Lachirioag. Consensus is how we take decisions collectively and it is how things are developed in the villages of sierra zapoteca. The structure of government are really afar from what people are accoustumed outside of this region. Ancient zapotec traditions are still alive. Agriculture methods and social structure is very ingrained in our every day life as it was many generations ago. We worship the land, the water and our fellow man. The zapotec way of life.
Mezcal Tosba is a microbusiness founded by two cousins from San Cristóbal Lachirioag, Oaxaca, México. In the year 2000, as migrants living in Silicon Valley, California we were inspired and influenced by the entrepreneurial spirit that surrounded us. Concerned by the increasing migration from our home region of Cajonos-Villa Alta in the Sierra Norte mountains, we decided to form a business that would rescue the disappearing mezcal production and bring economic opportunity to the area.
When we moved to California from Oaxaca, in a shared room and with sleeping bags on the floor, we discussed future dreams. Edgar wanted to grow agaves and make mezcal and I knew I wanted to create economic activity in the region for change. We decided to pursue what is now Mezcal Tosba. In the year 2000, we planted two thousand plants, the following year we planted five thousand, the next ten thousand, then fifteen thousand, and then fifty thousand and so on. While our agaves grew and matured, we waited patiently and worked in Silicon Valley bussing tables, serving, roofing, making sandwiches at Subway, and bartending.
We were very involved promoting mezcal in the early days and suddenly there was a beginning of a mezcal boom and since then we have seen an explosion of successful brands. While our families do not come from a tradition of mezcal making, we are reviving and reestablishing the tradition in the Sierra Norte’s district of Villa Alta, a region famed for being producing some of the best mezcals in the state of Oaxaca, though was lost due to out migration.
Fifteen years later, and after many trials and errors, we are extremely honored to bring you distinctive mezcal made from our estate grown agaves. Our journey is constantly evolving as we further develop our ranch, our operations, and our region -keep your eye out for our next moves, this is a dream in the making!
