Mezcal Vago Pechuga de Joel Barriga Aragón (75cl, 52.6%)

Mezcal Vago Pechuga de Joel Barriga Aragón is a mezcal artesanal from Oaxaca, Mexico, made by Don Joel Barriga Aragón at Hacienda Tapanala. It is 100% Bat-Friendly espadín, roasted in earthen pit ovens, crushed by horse-drawn tahona, fermented in open-air wooden vats and double-distilled in copper. The pechuga finish comes in the second distillation, with a farm-raised chicken breast hanging in the still alongside apples, pineapple, bananas, tejocotes, fresh corn and sugar cane. The result is bright and gently smoky, with ripe fruit, citrus and soft spice. It is best sipped neat, slowly, at room temperature. The nose brings bright cooked agave and sugar cane, with sweetness on the palate, along with ripe tropical fruits, gentle smoke, citrus zest and herbal nuances.