Origen Raiz Mezcal Madrecuishe

Origen Raiz Madrecuixe is a limited artesanal mezcal made in Santiago Matatlan, Oaxaca, by maestro mezcalero Valentin Cortes. It is built on Madrecuixe, a wild form of Agave karwinskii prized for its dry, mineral and herbal character, and like all Origen Raiz releases it appears only in small volumes.
The agave is cooked the traditional way in an underground pit oven, crushed on a tahona, fermented in open wooden tanks and double distilled in copper. Karwinskii agaves read green and stony, and that comes through here in roasted cedar and raspberry bramble on the nose, then charred green beans, tarragon and agave on the palate, with a bold, spicy, oily and long finish. Bottled at 48%, it keeps the wild agave undiluted and front of glass. Origen Raiz is a partnership between the Cortes family of Oaxaca and the Saravia family of Durango.