Origen Raiz Maguey Espadìn Capòn

49% ABV

Valentin, a 5th generation Maestro Mezcalero at the family Palenque (the term for a distillery in Oaxaca) in Santiago Matatlan, Oaxaca. The fully mature Espadin agaves were left "capon" in the fields for a period of time. When an agave reaches maturity, it sprouts a flowering stalk, known as a "quiote". If the sprout is cut when it emerges, the plant is essentially castrated and remains in a liminal state where it's neither growing nor flowering. The plants sugars remain in the heart or "piña" of the agave where they continue to evolve and develop secondary flavors. 

The agaves were roasted in a rock-lined earthen pit with huizache and encino wood. The cooked agaves were crushed with a stone tahona and fermented in pine vats with ambient yeasts. The mash was double distilled in copper alembic stills. Don Valentin is one of our favorite mezcaleros on earth and his Espadines are always some of our favorite expressions of that ubiquitous agave varietal.  

About Origen Raiz:
Origen Raiz is a collaboration between the Saravia family from Durango and Asis and Valentin Cortes from Palenque Guardianes del Mezcal in Oaxaca. Asis and his father Valentin helped the Saravia family build a Viñata (the local term for a palenque or distillery) and shared their expertise in distillation and mezcal production with them. Don Valentin continues to assist them with distillation to this day.

The Cortes family has a long history in the Mezcal space in Santiago Matatlan, Oaxaca and have their own brand, Mezcal Dixeebe, in addition to having previously produced for El Jolgorio and Nuestra Soledad. They are passionate defenders of traditional Mezcal culture and production methods and their palenque is an oasis of quality and integrity amongst the sea of more industrial production which surrounds them in Matatlan. "Don Vale" is one of our favorite Maestros and we have loved nearly every spirit of his that we've been fortunate enough to taste.

The Saravia family are cattle ranchers who focus on sustainable agriculture and regenerative land management on their massive ranch in Durango, Mexico. They decided to start this project when Bildo Saravia fell deeply in love with agave spirits and befriended the Cortes family. They see this project as both a way to make amazing Mezcal and also to protect and revitalize the land. They harvest only 10% of the mature wild agaves on their property each year, leaving the remaining 90% to go to seed. This supports local pollinators like bats and birds and is vital for maintaining the genetic diversity and strength of the agaves.