In the Agave Fields

A photo essay from the land of mezcal.

Oaxaca is synonymous with mezcal, a clear and typically smoky distilled spirit made from agave, a type of cactus-like spiny plant that is actually a succulent, which thrives in arid, nutrient-poor landscapes. Both the beverage and agave are inescapable here; the drink is consumed regularly (daily, by Oaxaca’s more enthusiastic and less responsible drink…