Koch El Mezcal Ancestral Maguey Espadin

47% ABV

Mezcal Ancestral from Sola de Vega in the Sierra Sur region of Oaxaca. "Ancestral" is a Mezcal designation that means that no machines were used in the mashing of the cooked agaves and that they were distilled in "Barro de Olla" clay pot stills. Sola de Vega, along with the village of Santa Catarina Minas, are 2 of the best known places for traditional Mezcal production of this kind. Maestro Alberto Vasquez harvests 7-9 year old Espadin agaves and pit roasts them in a conical oven. The cooked agaves are crushed with wooden mallets and fermented with well water and ambient yeasts in wooden "tinas" or open top cypress barrels. It is double distilled in clay pots and the alcohol is adjusted with "puntas y colas" or the heads and tails of the distillation.

Mineral driven with palpable smokiness. Some notes of sweet corn, some tropical fruits, petrichor, and a lovely clay richness on the palate.