This New Oaxaca Hotel Is a Mezcal Lover’s Dream
There are elements of Oaxacan life that are wonderfully intrinsic: tlayudas (large blue corn flatbreads); calendas (joyous, impromptu street parades); and the region’s signature black pottery. And then there’s mezcal. The pungent, lightly sweet spirit is a pillar of Oaxacan culture. Walk into any family home, and you’ll find a bottle (or three) of it sitting on the dinner table. It’s even served at religious events, like funerals and baptisms. In Oaxaca, drinking mezcal isn’t just about getting drunk. It’s a whole mindset.
“You get a great plate of mole with shredded chicken and rice; maybe some quesillo, tortillas, tlayudas. And you sip some mezcal,” instructs Fausto Zapata, the co-owner of Casa Silencio, a new boutique, six-room hotel on the outskirts of Oaxaca City. “It’s just heaven.” Zapata and I are sitting at the outdoor dining table at his hotel, nestled in a lush valley that’s prone to frequent rainstorms. For now though, the sun is bursting over the valley floor, and I can see dark silhouettes of distant mountains illuminated under bright, fluffy clouds. We’ve just finished lunch: a simple spread of pan amarillo de tlacolula sandwiches, green salad, and tostadas with creamy guacamole. On the table are a few bottles of his own “rare agave” spirits, which surprise me with aromas of chocolate, spice, and fresh papaya. I’m typically a whiskey drinker, if I drink at all, but this spirit is subtler, and more floral, than its corn-based cousin. It helps, too, that I’m sitting a few feet from the room where they make the stuff.
Zapata is a fan of the Mexican concept of sobremesa. There’s no direct translation in English, but it refers to the act of lingering at the table long after a meal, talking, sharing stories, laughing, and (yes) sipping mezcal. It’s a perfect ritual for a hotel that doubles as a production site for Zapata’s international mezcal line, El Silencio. Just off the dining room is the palenque (distillery), where a solar-powered tahona, or half-ton stone wheel, crushes the agave hearts into a vinegary pulp; the fibers are then placed in giant wooden barrels to allow the sugars to turn to alcohol. The process, like anything worthwhile, requires patience. And dining next to these slow-fermenting plants, I’m reminded of how good it feels to linger in one spot. After all, I’m in Mexico. What’s the rush?
On day two, I sign up for an agave roasting demonstration, not fully realizing how hands-on it will be. Around 11 a.m., I walk up to the roof of the hotel, where a half dozen workers are calmly hacking agave hearts with machetes before tossing them in an enormous circular oven. I stand at the oven’s edge, shielding my face from the heat, and watch the greenish-white piñas pile up over the smoking coals, where they’ll remain covered under a layer of dirt for five days. Which leaves plenty of time for more drinking.
When planning out the hotel, Zapata and his partners, Vicente Cisneros and architect Alejandro D’Acosta, visited distilleries in Scotland for inspiration. In the end, the trio decided they needed a space that felt both traditionally Oaxacan, and also wholly original. The blueprint for Casa Silencio was born. D’Acosta, known for his experimental, eco-friendly designs, used rustic, subdued materials like reclaimed wood, terra cotta tiles, and compressed dirt (rather ingeniously fashioned into coarse, textured walls) to help the hotel blend into its natural surroundings—yet the interiors have a sleek and contemporary feel. Each two-story room is like a mini penthouse, with double-height ceilings, black tiled showers, and living rooms with wood-burning stoves. (One bathroom is built entirely from recycled mezcal bottles—and the bottlenecks make handy pegs for hanging towels.)
It’s worth noting this isn’t a part of Oaxaca you’d normally see. The hotel is located an hour east of Oaxaca City, at the end of a dirt road that requires vigilant driving. As you near the property, agaves line the road, planted by local workers eager to cash in on the fledgling distillery’s production line. The hotel’s neighbors are all farmers. In the mornings, I heard the squawk of roosters and the barking of farm dogs. But that was it. No cars honking, no street vendors, no tour buses. This is rural Oaxaca, where spiky succulents grow like wild ferns, harking back to the times when Zapotecs, who ruled this land from the 5th century BCE, first used the sacred plants to fashion rope, textiles, honey, and more. Today, the crop is no less vital.
Unlike a regular distillery tour, staying at Casa Silencio opens up the door to all sorts of non-mezcal-related activities, too. There are jaunts into the nearby village of Mitla to peruse textiles. You can take a sunrise hike to see a “petrified waterfall.” In the future, I’m told, there will even be hosted mushroom ceremonies (John Lennon would approve). One thing’s for sure: you’ll leave with a deeper understanding of Oaxaca’s countryside, not to mention mezcal. And the more you sip, the more you’ll realize: the place and the spirit are actually one and the same.
Heading to Oaxaca? Here are five places to drink mezcal in the city:
Snag a table on the balcony at this luxe cocktail den to enjoy views of the street vendors and (occasional) calendas below. The menu has an apothecary feel, with ingredients like shiitake mushrooms, nori seaweed, and hoja santa.
Founded by mezcal expert Ulises Torrentera, this bar functions like a library of Oaxaca’s signature spirit. You won’t find beer or music or food here—just a purist’s collection of some of the best mezcal in town.
Plan on dinner and drinks at this lively spot, whose talented mixologists are just as comfortable whipping up a negroni as a guava mezcal margarita; an outstanding food menu highlights Oaxacan specialties like tlayudas and grasshopper tacos.
This newcomer is committed to regional mezcals that pack a punch. With its unpretentious vibe and knowledgeable bartenders, it’s the perfect spot to schmooze with locals over a glass of fiery espadín or mellow tepextate. The playlist is great for dancing, too.
Despite having an excellent collection of independent and lesser-known mezcals, this festive, laid-back pub is also known for its collection of craft Mexican beer. The rooftop scene can get wild on weekends, so pick a weeknight to enjoy a more intimate setting.
Originally Appeared on Vogue
