Madre Mezcal Ensamble Espadin y Cuishe (75cl, 45%)

A 45% ABV artisanal mezcal from San Dionisio Ocotepec, Oaxaca, made from an ensamble of cultivated Espadin and wild Cuishe agaves. Production includes earthen pit roasting, horse-drawn tahona crushing, wild-yeast fermentation in open-air wooden vats and double distillation in an heirloom copper pot still. It is certified artisanal mezcal. The nose brings roasted agave sweetness and woodsmoke up front, with Cuishe adding green herbs, wet stone minerality and a waxy citrus lift over Espadin's honeyed base. The 45% ABV gives it real presence, and the finish is long, smoky and savory. It is unaged.