Ivan Carreño wants to share his cultural heritage with you, and he and his partner, Abel Arriaga, are putting millennial fervor into distributing Mezcal Carreño.
Mezcal (/mɛˈskæl/, Spanish: [mesˈkal] is an ancient spirit, similar to tequila, but from a different geographical area in Mexico, particularly from Oaxaca. It tastes different because it comes from different agave varietals, soils, and geography, which imprint distinctive terroir.
Mezcal with History
Ivan’s family started making mezcal in 1904 producing the spirit in their own Palenque, a rural factory where de agave is cultivated, harvested, baked, and distilled. Since then Mezcal Carreño exists as artisanal, small-batch production mezcal.
Producing mezcal is an art that requires patience. The agave plants grow and mature in a more than 20 years span reaching a point ready to be harvested. Later, the piñas or hearts are “cooked” or baked in pits in the ground, a process which produces a smoky flavor, with incredible subtleties, that is distinctive of mezcal and which tequila lacks.
Ivan, who immigrated to Arizona as a child, partnered with longtime friend Abel, a 3rd generation Mexican-American with Guanajuato roots, to import and distribute his family’s mezcal.
They started their business importing the Carreño family mezcal in 2019 and they already have close to 150 establishments that serve Mezcal Carreño mainly in the Phoenix Metro area.
“We are honored to serve young entrepreneurs such as Ivan and Abel, walking them through the process of filing and obtaining a registered trademark for Mezcal Carreño.
Together they bring Mezcal Carreño while educating spirits aficionados in the uniqueness of this denomination of origin product: Ivan and Abel are heavily involved giving talks, tasting events in valley restaurants, resorts, and private events.
From Brand to Trademark
Since the start, Ivan and Abel sought to trademark the name of their product, especially understanding the potential of their business and foreseeing the positive response from the public. “We want to have complete control of our own name and product”, said Abel. We do not want to deal with copycats that may confuse the public since we bring a product of artisanal quality from the lower valley of Oaxaca to them.
“Mezcal Carreño has a distinctive branding and product, which is important to protect at the national level”, said trademark attorney Marcos E. Garciaacosta. “This is a great example of transforming a brand into a registered trademark at the federal level with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USTPO)“. “We are honored to serve young entrepreneurs such as Ivan and Abel walking them through the process of filing and obtaining a registered trademark for Mezcal Carreño. Besides, is really fun to continue our attorney-client relationship and offer our support for all their legal matters, since they are such a creative and energetic young team”, concluded Marcos.
Follow the Mezcal Carreño Team for Tasting Events
Ivan and Abel are planning diverse events every week, including a partnership with the beautiful Phoenix Desert Botanical Garden where they plan to plant a mezcal agave patch.
To follow the Mezcal Carreño team, and connect through social media here, and here.
Contact us: To schedule an appointment with trademark and business attorney Marcos E. Garciaacosta, call us at (480) 324-6378 or write us an e-mail [email protected].