New York’s floating Mexican restaurant, La Barca Cantina, boasts more than 100 varieties of authentic mezcal and tequila, with a beverage program that honors the skills and history of Mexico’s distilled spirits. The concept aims to foster an inclusive mezcal community onboard, bringing both experts and newbies together to enjoy intimate tastings and learn about the mezcal process.

It also wants to support and fund improvements in these rural Mexican communities where these spirits are made. That’s why La Barca Cantina in April hosted four tasting events with Lou Bank, founder of S.A.C.R.E.D, a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit that helps improve lives in the rural Mexican communities where heritage agave spirits are made.

For example, during a two-hour “Bottomless Brunch” cruise along the Hudson River on April 28, Blank introduced guests to three varieties of mezcal: Ixcato Papalome, Mal Bien Alto (May 2021) and El Tigre Paplote. Blank says that the main issue for people in the rural Mexican communities that produce mezcal is the lack of water — not just for making spirits but for drinking, washing, cleaning, etc.

S.A.C.R.E.D., launched in 2017, has contributed more than 75,000 agave seedlings to mezcalero families, funded the building of three rain-harvest systems and the digging of two wells to mitigate water insecurity, enabled four communities to construct greenhouses to take control of their agricultural future, and more. In addition to running S.A.C.R.E.D., Blank hosts the Agave Road Trip podcast, which helps gringx bartenders better understand agave, agave spirits and rural Mexico.