We Went to Oaxaca and Drank All the Mezcal (for research, obviously)
Alright, folks, buckle up—because last week, a couple of lucky degenerates from our team “worked very hard” by flying down to Oaxaca to do some extremely serious cocktail R&D. By which we mean: we drank an obscene amount of mezcal, ate our weight in tacos, and basked in the absolute magic that is this legendary city.
And who do we have to thank for this terrible burden? None other than the incredible team at @ilegalmezcal, who graciously hosted us, poured us so much mezcal (seriously, our livers are still filing complaints), and gave us an inside look at what makes their stuff some of the best in the game.
The Ilegal Experience™
First things first: the Ilegal Mezcal distillery? An actual dream. Think rolling hills, smoky agave hearts roasting over fire, and a crew of ridiculously talented people making liquid gold in small, beautiful batches. It’s the kind of place that makes you wonder, should I quit my life and just become a mezcal maker?
The Ilegal team absolutely crushes it—every step of the process, from roasting the piñas to distilling the good stuff, is done with precision, passion, and just the right amount of chaos (our favorite ingredient). It’s truly a magical place, and if we didn’t have a bar to run back in Madison, we might’ve just “accidentally” missed our return flight.
So, What Did We Learn?
Mezcal is perfect. This isn’t news, but it was nice to confirm it.
Oaxacan food is also perfect. We inhaled tlayudas, mole, and every snack we could get our hands on.
We need to go back ASAP. Possibly forever.
Where to Find Ilegal Mezcal at Public Parking
Since we couldn’t fit an entire mezcal distillery in our carry-ons, we did the next best thing: we brought the inspiration home. You can find Ilegal Mezcal in a handful of our cocktails at Public Parking, plus it sometimes sneaks its way into our featured boilermaker (because mezcal + beer = instant happiness).
Basically, we’re obsessed, and if you’ve ever had a smoky, earthy, mind-blowingly delicious drink at our bar, chances are, Ilegal Mezcal had something to do with it.
The Bottom Line?
Huge thanks to the Ilegal Mezcal crew for the hospitality, the education, and the truly irresponsible amount of mezcal they made us consume in the name of “research.” We love you. We’ll be back. Possibly very soon.
In the meantime, come grab an Ilegal cocktail at Public Parking, and let’s toast to smoky spirits, good food, and reckless decision-making.
See you at the bar. 🍹🔥
—The Public Parking Team
P.S. If we start referring to ourselves as “mezcal sommeliers” with absolutely no credentials, just go with it.