Alipús San Andres Mezcal Ensamble

Alipús San Andrés is a joven ensamble of Espadín and Bicuishe, made by Don Valente Ángel and his sons at Santa María La Pila in Oaxaca, part of the Alipús single village project launched in 1999 by the Los Danzantes distillery to bottle independent family producers under their own villages. Bicuishe is a wild form of Agave karwinskii, green, herbal and mineral, set here against the sweeter Espadín for balance.

The family's land sits on a high, hilly plateau near 1500 metres where the soil is mostly schist, poor for most crops but suited to certain agaves. Made in the artesanal manner and double distilled in copper, the mezcal is earthy and fruity with citrus and baked fruit, a touch of spice and only light roasting smoke. Bottled undiluted at 47%, it reads as a balanced, accessible entry into single village Oaxacan mezcal.