| Earlier this summer, Mexican restaurant M Cantina in Dearborn, Michigan, set a new Guinness World Record for offering the most varieties of commercially available agave spirits—they have 1,825 distinct bottlings, to be precise—shattering the record previously held by New Jersey’s Meximodo with 1,033. I first met M Cantina proprietor Junior Merino about a decade ago, when he ran the Liquid Lab, an education and drink development space, out of his Bronx, New York, home. What I recall most about it was that every inch of the space seemed to be filled with bottles, including quite a few tequilas Junior had hand-carried from Mexico, where he grew up. (You can get a glimpse of that former space in this video.)  Merino behind the stick. Source: Instagram Merino relocated to Dearborn in 2016 and opened M Cantina the following year. Although the space opened without a liquor license, serving only nonalcoholic drinks for the first four years, by 2023, Merino had already amassed the largest tequila selection in the state of Michigan (about 800 bottles at that time, plus another 100 mezcals and assorted bacanoras and raicillas). “Honestly, it wasn’t our goal to break a record,” Merino says. “I’ve always been very passionate about tequila and mezcal. It’s part of my culture.” But every time a new bottling is released, M Cantina has been in the front of the line to snag it—and bottle by bottle, an impressive collection was amassed. At the urging of a persistent customer, who called in the Guinness committee, a representative came to the bar to count all the bottles to make sure nothing was repeated, checking bottles at random to make sure they weren’t filled with water or other liquids. “Some people will do crazy stuff for a record,” Merino says.  Using a harpoon to extract cooked agave from a pit oven at a raicilla distillery in Cabo Corrientes, Jalisco. Photographer: Liz Devine So what does this bona fide agave lover recommend everybody stock in their own home bar? The only parameter I set: must-have bottles that can be easily purchased within the US. While Merino combed through the collection to winnow down a handful of must-haves, I peppered him with speed-round questions about current agave trends. Celebrity tequilas? “Back in the day, people had to go personally and do tastings and do events. Nowadays, you don’t even have to do that. As long as you have a celebrity backing your brand, you have a huge following,” he says. “I do carry celebrity brands. I don’t take any sides.” The ruckus over additives in tequila, like glycerin, sweeteners and caramel color? “It’s allowed by the Mexican government—there’s nothing wrong with it. But they’re different. They’re just not for me.” He might recommend bottles with added sweeteners to guests seeking a sweeter pour, or even a dessert pairing, but he emphasizes that M Cantina is an organic restaurant. “I will always steer people away from anything that has chemicals or types of additives,” he says. What about cristalino, a divisive and relatively new tequila category? “I don’t get it,” he responds. “What was the point of aging something for three years, and then putting it through charcoal filtration to get rid of the color and most of the flavor?” Merino says he’s tried only one that he likes: Ley .925 Añejo Cristalino. Here are Junior Merino’s six must-have bottles, in no particular order. It’s created by Felipe Camarena, one of the two tequila-making Camarena brothers and the fourth gen of the family in the biz. I called out his incredible new sustainable-minded tequila in last month’s newsletter. Merino notes that the G4 brand has two lineups: one aged in stainless steel, and one in wood vats (“madera” is Spanish for “wood”). “My favorite is the madera,” Merino says. “They are fermented and put in vats that are open, with native yeast and agave fibers.” The wood aging enhances the “amazing flavor” of the agave, he says. “I’m not a big añejo person, but my absolute favorite is Ocho aged in oak barrels,” Merino says. One year of aging in ex-American oak adds “nice bourbon notes, but still very elegant,” and doesn’t mask the flavor of the agave. He especially recommends this bottle for collectors.  Standouts of M Cantina’s 1,825-bottle agave spirits collection. Photographer: Junior Merino Bottled at 46%— many tequilas are proofed down to 40% alcohol by volume—“you can really taste the tequila as it’s coming out of the still,” meaning big, bright, jalapeño peppery flavor, Merino enthuses. He also “absolutely loves” Fortaleza’s Winter Blend 2024 bottling ($199), though it’s more difficult to find. Mixing tequila aged in American and French oak, plus another cask that previously held sherry, “to me, that is the best blend I’ve tasted so far.” A sentimental favorite: “It’s a really old Mexican brand that has been around for a long time,” even though it’s lesser known in the US, Merino says. “When I was little, my dad and a lot of the people in my family, that’s what they drank. It’s one of those brands that has a lot of memories attached.” It’s from the same distillery that also makes El Tesoro—better known in America. I can vouch for the light vanilla and floral tones tinged with jalapeño zing. “It’s amazing!” Merino says. “It’s made in the traditional method, cooked underground,” which imparts a distinct smoky flavor. The Oaxaca producer makes mezcal from a range of agave varietals, but the relatively obscure Sierra Negra—which takes as many as 25 years to mature, and typically adds lemony, piny, minerally flavors to mezcal—is Merino’s favorite. Raicilla, an agave spirit from the Mexican state of Jalisco, also makes Merino’s shortlist. Like mezcal, raicilla can use multiple types of agave; this bottling is made with agave maximiliana (also called lechuguilla, which translates as “lettuce-like”), which typically lends lemon-lime citrusy flavors. Merino praises the traditional production techniques of clay ovens to roast the agave and “Filipino stills” for distillation. “When Mexico was under the Spanish crown, there was a lot of back and forth between the Philippines,” Merino says of workers who operated the stills, which may be made from a hollowed-out tree trunk or clay pots, augmented by a copper condenser. “What makes Mexican spirits so cool, is there’s a lot of fusion.” Note: This is a small-batch spirit, and the flavor may change subtly from batch to batch. The ultimate Jamaican rum getaway | If you’re thinking about future warm-weather getaways—yes, it’s still August, and no, I don’t want to hear about pumpkin spice lattes yet either—I have a very special travel opportunity to share. Jamaican-born Rousseau sisters Suzanne and Michelle last month opened reservations for a “grass to glass” rum-tasting experience at Rockfield, a culinary school in Jamaica’s St. Ann hills.  Michelle (left) and Suzanne Rousseau of Two Sisters Experiences. Photographer: Kara Newman/Bloomberg It’s a pretty incredible experience—but it’s not for everyone. For sure, when most people think of Jamaica, they think of beach vacations. But this experience is on the top of a mountain, requiring a twisty, 1.5-hour drive to reach that apex. But once you arrive, you understand: The 1800s-era country home is set up high to capture the cooling island breezes and astonishing, Instagram-worthy views. I visited in May, and I’m still thinking about it. The Rousseaus deeply understand hospitality. They’re local celebrities, the authors of Caribbean Potluck and The Roots of Caribbean Cooking, restaurant consultants and TV personalities. This newest venture, called Two Sisters Experiences, celebrates Jamaican women, culture and heritage. So when it comes to rum, that means a sharp emphasis on Appleton Rum, headed by master distiller Joy Spence. For example, our tasting included Appleton Estate Signature, a blend that is widely available here, as well as Appleton’s Kingston 62 gold and white rums, which I had never seen before and are not sold in the US.  Tasting with the Rousseaus include only-in-Jamaica pours. Photographer: Kara Newman/Bloomberg After so many tastings where brown spirits are served in uniform Glencairns, it was a delight to receive this trio in elegantly mismatched cut-glass lowballs. And when a refill of a favorite was offered to enjoy while the sun set over the Caribbean—and a slice of Cuba, off in the background—it was poured into a decorative vintage coupe. The Rousseaus make everything just a little bit extra, and that’s by design.  Try to tell me this isn’t bliss. Photographer: Kara Newman/Bloomberg “We feel very much compelled to educate about our country in a way that allows us to embrace the beauty of the culture, but from an elevated viewpoint,” Suzanne says. No shade to roadside fare such as patties or jerk (their great-grandmother was one of the first commercial patty makers in Jamaica), but the goal is to show the more “luxurious” side of Jamaica’s food and drink, she says, while allowing space for local flavor. I’d be glad to skip the beach party any time to savor that mountain-high, go-slow sunset sip. Cocktail of the Month: The Mosquito | Drink something delicious and want the recipe? Let us know at topshelf@bloomberg.net, and we’ll try to track it down for a future edition.  The Mosquito at Attaboy Source: Attaboy I’ve long been a fan of equal-parts cocktails; I even wrote an entire book about them. Since they’re so easy to measure, they’re generally a light lift for a party and or solo at home after a long day. You just don’t need to stress over them. So I’ve been cheering from the sidelines as the Paper Plane (equal parts bourbon, Aperol, lemon juice and Nonino amaro) has soared to become one of the most popular drinks of the moment. Meanwhile, the Mosquito has buzzed under the radar—and it’s time for that to change. It’s not a new drink; it was created in 2017 by Sam Ross of Attaboy, the same bar pro who also devised the Paper Plane. But given the popularity of mezcal Negronis (it also stars Campari), the crushable sour is very of the now. Part of what makes it so great: the sweet-spicy sting of ginger syrup. Attaboy fresh-juices their own using unpeeled ginger and a professional-grade juice press, but it’s easy to buy ginger juice if you prefer (I like the Ginger People brand) and simmer it with sugar.  Ross (middle) with fellow Attaboy GM Haley Traub and co-founder Michael McIlroy. Photographer: Eric Medsker Bonus: Once you have that ginger syrup on hand, you can mix it into other Attaboy classics, including the Scotch-based Penicillin, a legendary version of the Dark ’n’ Stormy, or a number of other “bug cocktails” spun off from the Mosquito, such as the Praying Mantis (equal parts smoky Scotch, lemon juice, ginger syrup and Gran Classico, a red bitter similar to Campari) and the Lantern Fly (equal parts Jamaican rum, lemon juice, ginger syrup and Amargo-Vallet amaro). Kinda gives “bug juice” a whole new meaning, don’t you think? The MosquitoCourtesy Sam Ross, Attaboy, New York Serves 1 ¾ oz mezcal
¾ oz lemon juice
¾ oz Campari
¾ oz ginger syrup* Candied ginger, for garnish Shake all ingredients with ice. Strain into a chilled coupe glass. Garnish with a speared piece of candied ginger. *Ginger syrup: In a saucepan, combine 1 cup fresh ginger juice with ¾ cup sugar. Bring to a simmer (don’t boil), stirring until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and let cool. Strain into a lidded container and store in the refrigerator for up to 10 days. | 
