It perfectly encapsulates it!
I had a conversation with Torrence Swain, who is in charge of operations on the east coast for Mezcal El Silencio, while sitting at the "great table" at Casa Silencio. The "grand table" is made up of 17 tonnes of hand-cut basalt and extends from the hotel's restaurant into the plant-lined courtyard. We sat down with our laptops in front of us for a work session that was driven not only by our freshly brewed carajillos, which are essentially a Latin American espresso martini, but also by the million-dollar vista. Plains covered in agave plants extended out in front of us, and a mountain in the vicinity was illuminated by the sunlight that had made its way through the clouds and shone through the gap in the clouds. I inquired with Swain, also known as "Brother Agave" on Instagram, concerning the amount of labour that was required to construct the Casa. He stated it to me while pointing to the wall behind me "Do you see that? I helped make it."
This is a hotel that is entirely based in mezcal; in fact, everyone at Mezcal El Silencio, which is the largest distributor of mezcal in the United States and the brand that is behind this property, was enlisted to help out. This hotel was the pioneering establishment of its sort in many respects. An integrated strategy for tasting tourism has not completely taken hold in Mexico, despite the fact that mezcal and hospitality are staples of any journey to the country. Even though there are plenty of tasting rooms and tours of distilleries in the desert outside of Oaxaca City, the majority of mezcal travellers end their day by heading back into town.
That is, until Fausto Zapata and Vicente Cisneros, the proprietors of El Silencio, opened a six-room hotel on the premises of their distillery in Xaaga, which is around 50 kilometres outside of the capital. The property did not officially open to the public until September 15, but I had the good fortune to tour it in early August and witness how accurately it reflected their concept. Both of them are from Mexico City, and they spent their childhoods on weekend visits to this area, where the focus was on impromptu fun, outstanding cuisine, and even more outstanding beverages. They believe that their own experiences with the hospitality of Oaxacans will come through in House Silencio.
RootStudio designs sculptural Hotel Flavia in Oaxaca "without plans": https://t.co/qBaGmgqItD pic.twitter.com/vimjnHPKdt
— Dezeen (@dezeen) December 1, 2022
According to what Zapata shared with me, "there are locations all over the world that may be as beautiful as Oaxaca, but none more so." "Going out to eat and drink, being on the streets and feeling the energy, all of those things were always something I looked forward to doing," the person said.
When giving life to Casa Silencio, Zapata and Cisneros wanted to emulate boozy destinations that put guests in the heart of production, such as the vineyard hotels of Napa or the distillery lodges in the barley-lined hills of the Scottish Highlands. In other words, they wanted Casa Silencio to be a boozy version of those places. Their efforts in research were successful. The experience at Casa Silencio is one of complete immersion; visitors are taught to communicate effectively in the language of mezcal while they are there. This building was one of three El Silencio distillery facilities in Oaxaca before it was converted into a hotel; the distillery is still very much operational and produces mezcal. I participated in the production process by slicing agaves that were harvested from the grounds of Casa Silencio and burning the smashed pias, which are the inner hearts of the spiny plants. Of course, I had assistance from professionals.
The design of this location includes elements that are reminiscent of a distillery. To extract the agave juice needed for fermentation, every mezcal producer employs the usage of a massive tahona, also known as a grinding wheel; Casa Silencio has made theirs the centre of attention. When we were there, the big solar-powered wheel was quietly crushing roasted agave in the common area, which is also where we practised yoga one morning.
https://www.travelandleisure.com/trip-ideas/oaxaca-mexico-crafts-hiking-food
Mexican architect Alejandro D'Acosta, known for his work in the wine-tasting enclave of Valle de Guadalupe, was hired by Zapata and Cisneros to design the property with sustainability in mind. The walls are made using a rammed-earth method called tapial, using soil taken from the ground on which Casa Silencio sits, and the ceilings are constructed from recycled Oaxacan wood. In addition, the Solar power provides the majority of the property's electricity needs.
There is no denying that Oaxaca is a cultural epicentre, and evidence of this can be found at every turn. A bottle of El Silencio and a plate of mezcal-infused gummy worms are waiting for new visitors in each of the six suites, which are decorated with abstract light fixtures made of copper and glass and rugs hand-woven by local artisans. My accommodation was split across two floors, with a lofted boudoir, a sitting room filled with sheepskins and works by local artists, and a bathroom with walls constructed of empty El Silencio bottles. The key to my room was attached to a black talisman necklace, which I wore as jewellery throughout my stay. A square sculpture that is filled with water and used as a swimming pool can be found adjacent to the structure.
Oaxaca is particularly well-known for its food and drink; the restaurant and bar culture in the capital was a significant reason why T+L voters named it the no. 1 city in the world in the World's Best Awards that were held the previous year. According to Zapata, the state has developed into not just "the cradle of mezcal," but also "the culinary capital of Mexico."
The culinary clout of Oaxaca is not only reaffirmed by Casa Silencio; the restaurant also raises the bar. As Carlos Ochoa, the chief operating officer of El Silencio, noted, the objective is to maintain Oaxacan talent within the state of Oaxaca. Yet Casa Silencio recruits local chefs, mixologists, and hospitality workers and helps them grow right here in Xaaga. The greatest chefs generally migrate to Los Angeles or other U.S. cities, but Casa Silencio helps them grow right here in Xaaga.
As soon as I arrived onto the property, I was immediately engulfed by the aroma of smoked agave and ribs that had been cooked low and slow. Oaxacan cuisine with a touch of Tennessee flair is prepared by head chef Daniel Robles, who is responsible for dishes such as precisely charred beef tacos, tasting menus that begin with mezcal-infused watermelon, and, at one point, an end-of-the-night hot dog that I was unable to refuse. Robles spent ten years smoking meat in Nashville, where he is now the pit boss of a restaurant called BBQ Pit Oaxaca. It is clear that Robles has mastered the flavours and techniques associated with Southern barbecue.
Rodolfo Castellanos, winner of Top Chef Mexico, is another another example of the local talent that can be seen on exhibit at Casa Silencio. Castellanos designed a food flight called "Indigenious-inspired food" to accompany tastings of vintages of El Silencio wine that had never been released before. The flavours included cacao, a traditional Mayan condiment called recado negro, and queso oaxaca paired with guava paste. This was done as an homage to the Zapotec heritage of the region. The bites are presented on a chunk of silver with rare El Silencio kinds that are only available at the hotel and can't be found anywhere else: small-batch tobalas and javelins that are silky and simple to drink. When I tasted them with Castellanos' combinations, previously unknown flavours emerged in each and every mezcal that I tested.
It's not just the free-flowing mezcal that makes the ambiance at Casa Silencio turn wonderfully steamy as these tastings continue into the evening here in the afternoons and into the evenings. Rare variants of El Silencio mezcal continue to be produced, including their highly sought-after Black Magic, a charcoal-black spirit whose recipe is kept a secret. These mezcals are now more commonly sipped in the company of friends rather than in reverent quiet. Outside, the lights that are tucked within the agave plants start to flicker on and off. The fire pits in the courtyard begin to crackle, and the brightness cast by the candles along the big table induces a drowsy state. The quiet library or the Rhino Room, a hidden after-hours hangout with tufted leather couches, old trunks stuffed with bottles of mezcal, and a silver rhinoceros sculpture hung on the wall, are both good places to enjoy a nightcap. As I make my way back to my suite, I notice that even the night sky is getting into the spirit of things, as it is now littered with stars and occasionally lit up by lightning from a storm that is further away.
It's enough to make me think of a comment that stood out to me when I first spoke with Zapata. He said that Oaxaca is "a little bit of mischief, a little bit of improvisation," and it's enough to make me think of that quote. "We want to share a little bit of that magic with the world."