Cooper, Ron (1943–), founded Del Maguey Single Village Mezcal, one of the first artisanal mezcal brands to launch in America. See Del Maguey. Equal parts outspoken and contemplative, the enigmatic New Mexico–based artist is commonly referred to as the “godfather of mezcal,” thanks to his dogged quest to shepherd traditional mezcal from the remote villages of Oaxaca to America. Through his efforts to build the brand, Cooper helped foster an appreciation for Mexico’s native spirit amongst US bartenders, which in turn laid the foundation for other agave spirits to flourish in the American market. See mezcal.
With jet-black hair wound tightly in a small bun and his signature uniform of loose-fitting jeans and white cotton shirt defining his outward demeanor, Cooper is a character in his own right. Born in New York and raised in California, the artist and car enthusiast helped usher in the California light and space movement, creating works that eventually landed in permanent collections at the Guggenheim and LACMA. As an art student in the 1960s, his thirst for adventure carried him south of the border, where he first discovered mezcal, but it wasn’t until 1986 when in Oaxaca for the holidays with friends that he discovered the pure, unadulterated version of the spirit (not the industrial firewater that was pervasive at the time) that would eventually become Del Maguey.
Captivated by the nuances of the vibrant indigenous spirit, Cooper launched the Single Village brand with the import of fifty-four cases from the villages of Chichicapa and San Luis Del Río in 1995. For years the spirit gathered a cult following until Vida, an espadin-based mezcal distilled to a lower proof, launched in 2010. Bartenders clamored for the cocktail-friendly product, and Del Maguey became a permanent fixture at most metropolitan cocktail bars, sparking the beginning of a nationwide thirst for mezcal.
Cooper’s work in paving the road for the mezcal boom in America was recognized in 2016 when the James Beard Foundation presented him with the award for Outstanding Wine, Beer, or Spirits Professional. In 2017, he sold a majority stake of the company to Pernod Ricard, and the following year, his memoir Finding Mezcal: A Journey into the Liquid Soul of Mexico (written with Chantal Martineau) was published. Del Maguey now ships to over thirty countries around the world, but Cooper’s attention remains on the spirit and the people who make it—ask him about facts and figures related to the business, and he’ll direct the questions elsewhere. He is content simply being “the keeper of the customs.”
Cooper, Ron, with Chantal Martineau. Finding Mezcal. New York: Ten Speed, 2018.
Freedman, Brian. “The Story behind Pernod Ricard’s Recent Ownership Deal with Del Maguey Mezcal.” Forbes, June 6, 2017. https://www.forbes.com/sites/brianfreedman/2017/06/12/the-story-behind-pernod-ricards-recent-ownership-deal-with-del-maguey-mezcal (accessed April 21, 2021).
By: Emma Janzen