Don José Cortés is the central character featured in Sons of Mezcal. At age 82, he represents the fourth generation of mezcaleros in his family, which has been producing mezcal in the town of Santiago Matatlán, Oaxaca since 1840. For nearly two centuries, agave farming and mezcal production has been the lifesource for the Cortés family.
Don José was born in Santiago Matatlán and lives a life dedicated to mezcal and family. He began working on local palenques in his teens and belongs to a generation of mezcaleros who, in the face of many difficult years, remained steadfast in their commitment to preserve the culture and methods of traditional mezcal. Their work was an honor to their family and to the land. With nearly 70 years of working on palenques, Don Jose is one of the most experienced living mezcaleros in México.
Early in his career, Don José mainly produced mezcal for his own family and community but he would also sell regionally, along his own ruta del mezcal, oftentimes at markets in nearby towns. During this time, mezcaleros would be known to travel throughout Oaxaca to personally sell their mezcales. Decades later, Don José is the inspiring figurehead of the Casa Cortés line of mezcales which has obtained international acclaim since its founding in 2010.
Today, Don José can often be found at home in Matatlán, spending time with his family. Although he has passed on the mezcal business he started to his children, he still oversees the production of special edition batches and is nearly always present when a pechuga mezcal is being made.
In 2019, Don José lost his lifelong beloved wife Doña Crispina Hernandez Romero. The Cortés family remembers Doña Crispina with fond memories, honor, and respect. They know her passing was not the end of life, but its continuation into a more colorful world on the other side.
