サンペドロ・トトララパム、メキシコ（AP）— 30年前、家族が所有するメスカル蒸留所を照らしていたのは単一の電球だけだった。夜通しアガベを原料とした蒸留酒を作るため、粘土の窯から滴る滴を見ながら、ガルニカさんと兄弟姉妹は親から聞いた物語に耳を傾けていた。隣人たちは馬に乗ってやってきて、スモーキーな風味で知られるこの酒の味を楽しんだ。「私たちはアガベの収穫時期や土壌の手入れ、森から何を求められるかを教わりました」と、33歳のガルニカさんは、メキシコのオアハカ中央渓谷にある女性所有の蒸留所から語った。そこでは経済の多くがメスカルに依存している。現在、その小規模な伝統は、国際的なブランドが支配する大産業へと変貌を遂げた世界的なブームと並行して存在している。メスカルが世界中のバーに広まるにつれ、その土地への影響も拡大している。サンルイス・デル・リオのようなコミュニティへ向かう道沿いでは、俳優ブライアン・クランストンとアーロン・ポールが「ブレイキング・バッド」のヒットシリーズで作ったブランド「ドス・オンブレス」などのセレブブランドが作られており、丘陵地帯はかつて森林だった場所にアガベのプランテーションが広がっている。ブームは多くの地元生産者に経済的恩恵をもたらした一方で、環境コストの上昇も招いている。-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------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メスカルの人気がアメリカで高まるにつれて、メキシコでの環境負荷も増加している。
サンペドロ・トトララパム、メキシコ（AP）— 30年前、家族が所有するメスカル蒸留所を照らしていたのは単一の電球だけだった。夜通しアガベを原料とした蒸留酒を作るため、粘土の窯から滴る滴を見ながら、ガルニカさんと兄弟姉妹は親から聞いた物語に耳を傾けていた。隣人たちは馬に乗ってやってきて、スモーキーな風味で知られるこの酒の味を楽しんだ。
「私たちはアガベの収穫時期や土壌の手入れ、森から何を求められるかを教わりました」と、33歳のガルニカさんは、メキシコのオアハカ中央渓谷にある女性所有の蒸留所から語った。そこでは経済の多くがメスカルに依存している。
現在、その小規模な伝統は、国際的なブランドが支配する大産業へと変貌を遂げた世界的なブームと並行して存在している。メスカルが世界中のバーに広まるにつれ、その土地への影響も拡大している。サンルイス・デル・リオのようなコミュニティへ向かう道沿いでは、俳優ブライアン・クランストンとアーロン・ポールが「ブレイキング・バッド」のヒットシリーズで作ったブランド「ドス・オンブレス」などのセレブブランドが作られており、丘陵地帯はかつて森林だった場所にアガベのプランテーションが広がっている。ブームは多くの地元生産者に経済的恩恵をもたらした一方で、環境コストの上昇も招いている。