Migration has always been a cornerstone of progress—not just for people but for plants, animals, ideas, and traditions. The world is a tapestry of these migrations, where unexpected pairings create something entirely new. Think of noodles traveling west to meet tomatoes from the east, culminating in a perfect union in southern Italy. Or the story of distilling techniques brought from the Philippines to Latin America, blending seamlessly with the ancient Mexican beverage “pulque” to give birth to tequila.

Today, we’re witnessing another migration, this time fueled by the changing climate. Agaves, long rooted in the soils of Mexico, are making their way north, discovering new lands to call home. With them comes the promise of a new chapter for agriculture in California—one that embraces resilience, sustainability, and the potential for innovation.

For millennia, tequila and mezcal have been distilled from agaves in Mexico, with traditions passed down through countless generations. Now, California is stepping into the story, with growers and distillers across the state experimenting with agave farming. These remarkable plants thrive where other crops struggle, requiring only a fraction of the water needed for grapes, almonds, or olives. The result? Beautiful agave “piñas” that are harvested, fermented, and distilled into a new category of spirits—high-quality California Agave Spirits.

For us at ixcali, the idea began in the wake of the devastating Sonoma wildfires in late 2019. Losing our ranch was a turning point. During the pandemic, we lived off-grid on the charred land, making a modernized Airstream camper a couple of teepee’s and a yurt our home base. Every spare moment was spent restoring the property and imagining a better future. As we began planning to rebuild, one goal became clear: we needed to create a fire-safe landscape around any new structures. That’s when agaves caught our attention.

In 2020, we planted a few varieties to see if they could thrive under the Sonoma climate conditions. After witnessing our agaves flourish through a complete yearly weather cycle and inspired by the Mezcalifornia movement and meaningful conversations with visionaries like Craig Reynolds and Raul Chavez, we decided to take the leap and launch the ixcali agave farm.

In 2020, we planted a few agave varieties to test their resilience in Sonoma’s unique climate. Encouraged by seeing our agaves thrive through an entire year of weather cycles and inspired by the Mezcalifornia movement and insightful conversations with visionaries like Craig Reynolds and Raul Chavez, we knew it was time to take the leap—and the ixcali agave farm was born.

What started as a small experiment has grown into a bigger vision. In March 2022, a handful of us came together to form the California Agave Council, dedicated to supporting this budding industry. Today, the council has grown to include hundreds of farmers, distillers, and enthusiasts—all united in their passion for crafting exceptional spirits, identifying new opportunities for the use and commercialization of agaves and most importantly, building a sustainable future for California-grown agave.

With every step, we’re not just growing agaves; we’re creating a community, nurturing an industry, and honoring the resilience of a land ready for its next chapter.