jeff and Sydney - founders

Father–daughter team Jeff and Sydney built Catedral Mezcal to honor craft, community, and a shared love of mezcal. You’ll find them personally tasting every batch of mezcal that is bottled, building lasting relationships with customers around the country and leading a team rooted in hard work, humility, and pride for the craft.

Charlie - director of ops

Often referred to as the “spirit animal” of Catedral, Charlie is the heartbeat of our operations. He leads seamless production, responsible sourcing, and trusted local partnerships. An artist at heart, Charlie also adds his creative vision to every detail, elevating the craft behind our work.

Eulogio - agave MANAGER

Eulogio tends to our agave fields, bringing deep expertise in botany, local terroir, and generational knowledge. His mastery of the land makes him one of the most respected agave cultivators in the region. His stewardship ensures extraordinary mezcal starts at the source—long before the harvest.

Mafalda - CHEMIST

Mafalda is our chemist, warehouse manager, and head of quality control. She works with our maestros to ensure every batch meets the highest standards of craftsmanship, consistency, and quality. Her expertise safeguards the integrity of our mezcal from oven to bottle.

Ambrosio

Ambrosio combines tradition with family. He has built a palenque, or mezcal distillery, on his ancestral land to support his community and continue the tradition of his ancestors. He learned how to make mezcal when he was a little boy from his father, who learned from his father before him.

Village: Santiago Matatlán Maestro: Ambrosio Martinez Oven: Stone oven with Pine Wood & River Rock Medium: Distilled Water Mill: Limestone Tahona Fermentation: Pine Wood Vats Still: Copper 2X Distilled ABV: 46%

JOEL

At about 5,500 feet above sea level, in the mountains near Santiago Matatlan, agave plants grow abundantly in many different varieties. Joel has lived here his whole life and has been crafting handmade artisanal mezcal for decades. His unique distilling secrets have been passed down from his father, and his father's father. To Joel, each plant has a story that deserves to be told.

Village: Santiago Matatlán Maestro: Joel Hernandez Oven: Earth Oven with Encino & Mesquite Wood, River Rocks Medium: Distilled Water Mill: Limestone Tahona Fermentation: Sabino Wood Vats Still: Copper 2X Distilled ABV: 47.8%

Tio Rene

For 3 generations, Tio René’s family has been making mezcal. Using the same techniques and distilling secrets that his ancestors used, Tio René crafts unique flavors of mezcal with wild agave.

Village: Zimatlán de Alvarez Maestro: Tio Rene Oven: Stone oven with Mesquite Wood & Volcanic Rock Medium: Spring Water Mill: Limestone Tahona Fermentation: Sabino Wood Vats Still: Copper 2X Distilled ABV: 47%

Adela

She was 14 when her father fell ill. Charged with putting food on her family's table, Adela decided to take matters into her own hands. She took over her father's job at their family distillery. In the rural mountains of Oaxaca, Adela sold mezcal out of plastic bottles with handwritten labels. She is now in her 20s and alongside her father, who has since recovered, they produce some of the best mezcal in the region.

Village: San Dionisio Ocotepec Maestro: Adela Cruz Antonio Oven: Stone oven with Mesquite Wood & River Rock Medium: Spring Water Mill: Limestone Tahona Fermentation: Pine Wood Vats Still: Copper 2X Distilled ABV: 46%

Carlos

An axe, a pitchfork, a horse. These are the tools that Carlos, uses to craft his mezcal on his palenque. His family has been making mezcal and passing down secret recipes for 6 generations. He has been making mezcal with his father since the age of 10, and now at age 19, he produces some of the regions best artisanal mezcal.

Village: San Dionisio Ocotepec Maestro: Carlos Morales Oven: Stone oven with Encino Wood & River Rock Medium: Distilled Water Mill: Limestone Tahona Fermentation: Sabino Wood Vats Still: Copper 2X Distilled ABV: 43%

Celestino

Celestino is a 4th generation mezcalero. He built a palenque in the courtyard of his family home. There, he makes some of the best small batch, artisanal mezcal in the region. Celestino does everything with a lot of love and compassion. He often says, “we must appreciate the value of the land, and we must give back to the land what it gives to us.” A true farmer at heart.

Village: Santiago Matatlán Maestro: Celestino Serenas Oven: Earth over with Pine & Mango Wood, Volcanic Rock Medium: Spring Water Mill: Limestone Tahona Fermentation: Pine Wood Vats Still: Copper 2X Distilled ABV: 46%