Breaking good: Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul celebrate success of Dos Hombres Mezcal in Chicago visit

Dos hombres — former television outlaws Walter White and Jesse Pinkman — breezed into the Windy City this past weekend, slinging their smooth, smoky, celebrated Dos Hombres Mezcal.

But behind their once-rugged personas, co-founders Aaron Paul and Bryan Cranston, stars of the Emmy award-winning crime drama "Breaking Bad," are two down-to-earth dudes with a passion for quality and community.

As they kicked off the closing weekend of Chicago Gourmet with an exclusive five-course dinner alongside Michelin Star chef Carlos Gaytan at UMMO Chicago last Friday, they shared the story of their spirited journey, telling a tale of more than just celebrity endorsement.

Beyond winning several prestigious awards for their ultra-premium mezcal, including Blanco Mezcal of the Year at the 2022 New York International Spirits Competition, what began as an excuse to keep hanging out after the jaw-dropping 2013 season finale of "Breaking Bad," also uplifted a tiny village in the Mexican state of Oaxaca.

"The entire reason that we have a business together is because we don't like to golf," said Cranston. "We're two men who wanted to spend more time together, and for some reason, we are not as advanced as women are; men feel like we need to justify the time we spend together."

When Paul reintroduced him to mezcal — tequila's smoky cousin — at a New York City bar, and proposed producing a spirit of their own as a side project that doubled as a chance to hang out, Cranston was sold on the idea after only a few sips.

"I want to be seduced; I don't want to be assaulted. Mezcal is a warm, exotic, beautiful, storied spirit. I only want to be involved in things I'm passionate about, and we immediately became passionate about producing our own mezcal," Cranston said.

So the duo headed to Oaxaca, where the tradition of distilling mezcal dates back to the pre-Hispanic era when Indigenous peoples discovered the technique of agave fermentation.

While tequila is made exclusively from Blue agave, mezcal can be produced from a variety of agave species. Tequila agave is steamed in ovens, whereas mezcal agave is roasted in underground pits, where it earns its distinctive, smoky flavor.

"It wasn't a company that came to us and asked us to slap our name on a mezcal brand. This was our brainchild," said Paul.

They ended up sourcing agave in San Luis del Río, a tiny village outside of Oaxaca, and partnering with a local, third-generation mezcalero, Gregorio Velasco, to produce Dos Hombres Espadin, made from Espadin agave, known for its smooth smoke, wood, apple and mango notes; and Dos Hombres Tobala, a premium, bold mezcal crafted from Tobala agave grown for nearly 25 years.

By focusing on authenticity and sustainability in the production process, using traditional methods such as underground pit ovens, horse-drawn mills, and natural fermentation, they brought to life a mezcal with a unique flavor profile and fostered a sense of community involvement.

"Dos Hombres is a love letter to this incredible community," said Cranston. "It's their artistry. The production process is so labor-intensive, and it’s entirely hand-produced by the people of San Luis del Río. It's also made with only two ingredients: mountain water and smoked agave."

"We're proud to say that we've personally hired every employee ourselves," said Paul. "Our goal was to produce a traditional, superior mezcal while enhancing the town's economic stability."

Added Cranston, "When we first got to San Luis del Río eight years ago, there was no cell service and only one single landline shared by the entire community of 375 inhabitants. It felt like we had stepped back in time. For example, there was no clean, running water in the village."

So, six months into their project, they built a state-of-the-art water filtration plant after setting up a fund to prioritize the community's needs.

"This year, we will have had over a million liters of clean drinking water poured from that plant," said Paul.

Cranston was also eager to note that he has ties to Chicago, a city he loves. His mother, Audrey Peggy Sell, a radio actress, and his father, Joseph Cranston, an actor and former amateur boxer, were both born and raised in Chicago.

"My father was from the South Side, and my mother was from the North Side," said Cranston. "They met in Los Angeles, in 1948, at an acting class."

While Paul cheered on the Bears, "Go Bears! Bear Down!" Cranston couldn't leave Chicago without razzing Bears' fans ahead of their game on Sunday.

"My Rams will win this weekend against the Bears. I'm willing to bet on it. If the Rams win, every Chicago Bears fan must go to their favorite restaurant and order a cocktail made with Dos Hombres Mezcal. But If the Rams lose, I'll personally send a check for $10,000 to a Chicago-based charity. That's a pledge."

True to his word: Cranston is working with the Bears, according to his spokesperson, to coordinate the donation, following Sunday's win by the Bears.