The 20 Best Mezcals for 2026 Erstwhile Five-Spice Duck Pechuga Mezcal was named one of VinePair’s 20 Best Mezcals for 2026, earning a 93-point rating. Handcrafted in Rancho Blanco Güilá, Oaxaca by Epifania Gómez Mejía and Silverio García Luis, this limited-edition pechuga mezcal was recognized as “wholly original while still distinctly mezcal.”
VinePair – Is Mole Pechuga Mezcal About to Have Its Moment? VinePair features insights from Erstwhile Mezcal co-founder Yuan Ji on the growing interest in mole pechuga mezcal. While mole pechugas may appear to be a recent trend, the article explores how both mezcal and mole have centuries of documented history, and each has long [...]
Wine Enthusiast Top 100 Spirits of 2025 | 97 Points Erstwhile Five-Spice Duck Pechuga Mezcal, a limited-edition pechuga mezcal handcrafted by Silverio García and Epifania Gómez in Rancho Blanco Güilá, Oaxaca, earned 97 Points and a spot on Wine Enthusiast’s Top 100 Spirits of 2025.
Wine Enthusiast spotlights Erstwhile Turkey Mole Negro Pechuga in "Turkey-Infused Booze? Pechuga Mezcal Is Coming to Thanksgiving": an exploration of pechuga-style mezcals distilled with turkey and the common themes of family and gratitude shared by both Oaxacan and North American Thanksgiving holiday traditions.
Erstwhile wins BEST IN CLASS two years in a row with the highest rating in the Mezcal / Agave Spirits category at Craft Spirits Berlin Awards - Europe's largest competition dedicated to handcrafted spirits!
Wine Enthusiast Top 100 Spirits of 2019 | Erstwhile Espadín Mezcal Wine Enthusiast's "Top 100 Spirits" list features Erstwhile's Espadín mezcal, crafted by Silverio García and Epifania Gómez in Rancho Blanco Güilá, Oaxaca.
In her article titled "Mezcal, Mexico’s Misunderstood Spirit", Kara Newman (Spirits Editor of Wine Enthusiast) shares her praise and tasting notes for Erstwhile's Espadin mezcal produced by Silverío García and Epifania Gómez in Rancho Blanco Güilá, Oaxaca.
