Agave de Cortes Mezcal Espadin Añejo

This is the anejo from Agave de Cortes, the entry range of Casa Cortes in Santiago Matatlan in Oaxaca, the family house that also makes the wild agave El Jolgorio and Nuestra Soledad. It is a single species Espadin from mezcalero Francisco Cortes Hernandez, rested at least a year in American oak, which under NOM-070 makes it an anejo.
A full year in American oak pushes the Espadin further than the reposado, layering caramel, butter and toasted oak over the cooked agave. The texture turns soft and creamy, with vanilla, sweet caramel and a lift of orange and mandarin on the palate. Wood leads here while the roasted agave sits underneath, an easygoing aged mezcal bottled at 41%.