Macurichos Espadin Destilado Con Cacao Mezcal

Mezcal produced in Santiago Matatlán, Oaxaca by Maestro Mezcalero Valentin Martinez Sernas. Made from 100% Espadín (Agave angustifolia) matured between 6–12 years. Agave cooked in an earthen oven, milled using traditional stone tahona mill, then fermented in wood vats & distilled twice using a traditional clay pot still. The second distillation sees the addition of fresh Oaxacan cacao made by Gonzalo’s sisters. Hot cocoa on the nose; the palate is graceful and light on its feet with pink peppercorn, jasmine, and herbs; light but pronounced smoke gives a mature backbone to the notes of cacao and the finish is salty and earthy 48.8% ABV (ABV may vary batch to batch) Oaxaca is famous for its chocolate and with good reason! The aroma of this spirit transports you to a roadside comida in Matatlán, the scent of hot cocoa rising to meet you long before you even get your nose to the glass. Led by the young and brilliant maestro mezcalero Gonzalo Martinez, Mezcal Macurichos is dedicated to the protection of both the cultural tradition and the agricultural heritage of agave within the iconic mezcal production community of Santiago Matatlán. The family palenque was founded in 1963 by Rosalino Martinez Ruiz and his son Rafael Martinez Hernandez after a long history of previous generations working for or renting other palenques. Today, Gonzalo and his three brothers continue to distill at the same site their grandfather and father established six decades ago. With a strong focus on community, the family employs numerous neighbors and is one of only a handful of distillers in the area who still produce using Ancestral methods, including clay pot stills. The brothers cultivate their own diverse fields of agave—planting from seed and reforesting the diminishing wild agave populations—and use exclusively organic farming practices with love and respect. Gonzalo launched Macurichos in 2012 in honor of his grandfather, with the brand label featuring an illustration of Rosalino returning home on horseback after a long day of work en el campo. In Gonzalo’s words, “When you drink Macurichos you are drinking years of our family’s history, work, and sacrifice."