Erstwhile Mezcal, a Brooklyn-based brand, was founded in 2017 by Yuan Ji and Kevin J. Brown. This brand is all about small-batch artisanal and ancestral mezcal, with a mission to discover, curate, and connect both connoisseurs and novices with high-caliber mezcal. They're committed to education, transparency, sustainability, and fair trade. Notably, Erstwhile is a woman-owned business that supports fellow women in mezcal production. Their Cuishe Mezcal, produced by Juan Hernández Méndez in Santiago Matatlán, Oaxaca, is an herbal, approachable mezcal with floral, green, banana, and chipotle aromas. On the palate, the banana follows through with a hint of cloves, cinnamon, and melon. Their first batches hit the market in New York and California in the fall of 2018.