If They Kill NOM 199, will that Kill Uncertified Agave Spirits? (NOM mini-series #3 of 3)
NOM 006 defines what tequila is. NOM 070 defines what mezcal is. Bacanora has NOM 168, sotol has NOM 159, and raicilla … well, give raicilla a minute – they’ll get back to you. But every other spirit sold in Mexico is, in theory, defined by NOM 199. (Except pox – where’d pox go?) But in March 2021, the Mexican government proposed abolishing NOM 199. So where does that leave comiteco, charanda, xtabentún, aguardiente, and our beloved destilado de agave? In this third episode of our NOM mini-series, we speak with Alberto Esteban Marina, former Director General of the NOMs for the Mexican government and author of NOM 199, to get his thoughts on what exactly the abolition of Nom 199 could mean for all your favorite Mexican spirits.
This episode of Agave Road Trip is brought to you by Diageo Bar Academy. So you want to build a cocktail-to-go program. What do you offer? How do you receive orders? How are batch recipes different than single-drink recipes? How do you ensure you’re charging enough to make a profit? Visit DiageoBarAcademy.com for this and more! Stay informed, get inspired, and nurture connections to grow your career or your business by joining Diageo Bar Academy.
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Agave Road Trip is a podcast that helps gringo bartenders better understand agave, agave spirits, and rural Mexico. It’s hosted by Lou Bank and Chava Periban.
Episode notes
To access the spreadsheet the shows how NOM 199 defines specific spirits in Mexico, click here. And below is the complete interview with Alberto Esteban Marina, former Director General of the NOMs for the Mexican government:
