Misty Kalkofen has done it all. She was building craft cocktail menus in an era ruled by pre-mixed Long Island Iced Tea. While studying at Harvard Divinity School, she took at job behind the bar and ended up as a protégé of lounge legend and Tikiphile, Brother Cleve. Her dedication to hospitality and quality libations led her to focus her energy on the Boston cocktail scene rather than school. And as the scene grew, she found herself drawn to agave spirits. Mezcal had found her. And her life changed forever when she met Ron Cooper, the founder of the then-fledgling mezcal brand Del Maguey.

The last decade of her life has been consumed by mezcal, and the people & communities behind the labels. She now maintains an apartment in Oaxaca in addition to Boston to accommodate her frequent trips to Mexico. The producers behind each Del Maguey offering have become family for her. And anyone that knows Misty knows that means a lot. It’s a lot to catch up on, so this interview is split into two episodes.

Stigibeu!