Honorato Cruz and his family hail from the 500-person indigenous Zapotec village of Santa Ana del Río, Oaxaca where nearly every member of this town has worked with agave, building an encyclopedic knowledge of mezcal production passed down through the generations.
This mezcal from Honorato is made from Espadin agave that has slowly grown over 7-8 years. After harvest, the piñas are slow roasted over 3-5 days in an earthen pit where the sugars are concentrated. They are then crushed in the traditional style by a large stone roller, or Tahona, before fermentation takes place in open air wooden barrels. Distillation takes place twice in a copper pot still before being bottled at 45% abv.
This Espadin shows a medium nose with floral notes as well as hints of smoked agave, pineapple, and lime. It is slightly spicy in the first sips and light on the finish. The Espadín includes a bit of sweetness due to the maturity and slow cooking of the agave.
