Origen Raiz Mezcal Espadin Chacaleño

Origen Raiz Espadin Chacaleno is a limited artesanal mezcal made not in Oaxaca but in Durango, from Chacaleno, a regional strain of Espadin (Agave angustifolia). The regulator required the name Espadin on the label, though local makers call it Maguey Chacaleno, and it differs markedly from the classic Oaxacan Espadin. The agave is harvested at eight to ten years old.
It is cooked in an underground oven and crushed with a mechanical mill, then wild fermented in piletas, large rectangular pits dug into the earth, and double distilled in copper with stainless barrels, the first distillation run with the fibres. The nose offers tropical fruit, mango and white flowers, while the palate brings fried banana, a little white pepper and a creamy, silky texture. Bottled at 48% in a 500 ml format. Origen Raiz is a partnership between the Cortes family of Oaxaca and the Saravia family of Durango.