Mezcal Amarás Reserva Especial Sierrudo

Mezcal Amaras Reserva Especial Sierrudo is a joven mezcal from the Reserva Especial range, made from the rarely used Sierrudo agave, also written Cerrudo, a member of the Agave americana family closely related to Arroqueno, Sierra Negra and Coyote. It is a giant plant that takes sixteen to twenty years to mature and can reach 500 kilos, so the spirit is scarce. The label carries the maestra mezcalera Diana Orozco Cruz's own nomenclature, A2, where A marks an artesanal mezcal and the number rates sugar content.

Worked in the artesanal manner, it leads with herbs, cooked agave and strong mineral notes on the nose. The palate is mineral driven with subtle fruit and a squeeze of lemon, and the finish is complex, layered and finely drawn. At 46% it stays fresh and intricate, the mineral character that the Sierrudo agave is prized for running clean through it.