Since its inception in 2004, Craft Distillers has been in collaboration with Grupo Los Danzantes to cultivate the US market for artisanal mezcals. Both organizations share a deep commitment to preserving ancient artisanal methods, showcasing their dedication through the marketing of Alipús mezcals. This endeavor not only supports traditional ways of working but also sustains a way of life that faces the threat of extinction in the fast-paced shift to modernity. The Alipús mezcals are lovingly selected, premium artisanal spirits, hand-distilled in family-run distilleries nestled in the rural pueblos of Oaxaca, in southwest Mexico. These remote villages, accessible only via dirt roads, are the guardians of uncorrupted, centuries-old mezcal distilling traditions. The distilleries themselves are epitomes of old-world charm. In some, the absence of stone mills means the roasted agaves are hand-crushed using wooden mallets in canoas (hollowed-out logs); in others, the distillation occurs in clay potstills. The entire process is unhurried, labor-intensive, and deeply entwined with the agave, the local community, and the generational wisdom of regional mezcal-making methods.