Who we are
Back in 1971, living in Patzcuaro, Michoacan, Mexico, I was introduced to mezcal by the German painter H. G. Pavlata (Enrique Luft, 1931-2014). In those days if you wanted good mezcal you had to 1. know someone and 2. bring a container to put it in as nothing of quality was bottled.
Enrique and I became fast friends and over the years, when I was not visiting in Mexico, he would come visit with his family (and bottles of mezcal) when I was living in Big Sur or in Berkeley, where we would sit in the kitchen or enter my study - but with our bellies full of mezcal – we would discuss everything under the sun and emerge eight hours later, perhaps hungry, but not exhausted or lacking vigor.
The labels are versions of the oil paintings and engravings that were either gifted to me by Enrique or purchased from him.
As a painter, Enrique considered himself a ‘Mannerist’, influenced as he was by Parmigianino, Rosso Fiorentino, and Pontormo (see the Cirial label!). Mannerism and mezcal meet in the concept of “concetto” where an image arises, revealing, in its conception and focus, the fullness of things. The paintings do this, as do haiku, another of Enrique’s strengths.
The name of our brand ‘Por Lo Bueno’ was Enrique’s preferred toast when drinking mezcal. It means, ‘To All that is Good’, specifically, good companionship, good food, good conversation, good mezcal, good art.
- RHM