Mezcalosfera Cucharillo

49% ABV

Cucharillo is a century plant that is more commonly known as “Sotol” in Northern Mexico and the Southwest of the United States. Also called the “Desert Spoon” due to the shape of its spines where they attach to the heart of the plant, it grows widely throughout Mexico and Texas and has been fermented and distilled into spirits for centuries. The Denomination of Origin for Sotol in Mexico includes only the Northern states of Chihuahua, Coahuila, and Durango, but much like with agave spirits, is produced in nearly every state of the country. The plants look very similar to agaves and are harvested/cooked/fermented/distilled in more or less the same way as Mezcal or any other agave spirit. The flavor profiles can vary wildly depending on the varietal of Sotol plant used, terroir where it’s grown, and method of production. But very generally speaking, it is not too far away from Agave distillates in terms of flavor and style.

This particular bottling comes from the Miahuatlan region of Oaxaca and is made from a varietal of Cucharillo called “Dasylirion Wheeleri”, the most common varietal used for spirit production. The “piñas” or hearts of the plant are roasted in an earthen oven with mesquite and oak wood and mashed by hand with wooden mallets. The mash is fermented in pine tanks with well water and ambient yeasts. Maestro Emiliano Santos distills the mash just once in a copper Refrescadera still. This yielded a tiny batch of just 120 liters.

About Mezcalosfera:
Mezcalosfera is the export brand of the world renowned tasting room Mezcaloteca in Oaxaca City, Mexico. To call it a tasting room sort of undersells it. It's a Library/Temple/Education Center for Mezcal. Founded in 2010 by Silvia Muñoz and Marco Ochoa, they source batches of mezcal directly from producers throughout Mexico. Their distinctive label lists all of the details of production and provenance, a style of transparency that has thankfully been copied by numerous other brands in the Mezcal world since. They work with only traditional producers who they compensate fairly and purchase from in a sustainable manner. They are a beacon of quality and integrity in the space.