Hacienda de Banuelos Mezcal Tequilana

This is an unusual mezcal from El Teul in southern Zacatecas, the state directly north of Jalisco, made by maestro Jaime Bañuelos at Hacienda de Bañuelos, also known as Los Potrillos. The agave is the one most associated with tequila, Blue Weber or Agave tequilana, used here for a certified mezcal rather than tequila, by a fourth generation taberna leading the revival of mezcal in Zacatecas.
The agave is steam cooked in a stainless autoclave, milled mechanically, fermented in wood and twice distilled in stainless steel, a cleaner industrial path that keeps the spirit free of pit smoke. The result leans on the southern Zacatecas mineral terroir, with aromas of brown sugar, sour milk, cinnamon, milk chocolate and sea salt, then fresh fruit, a milky sweetness and salt on a lightly drying, rounded finish at 46%.