The Lost Explorer Mezcal Tobala

The Lost Explorer Tobala is a joven mezcal from San Pablo Huixtepec in Oaxaca, made from wild Tobala (Agave potatorum), a small, slow growing agave that hides in dry, shaded high altitude canyons and is far scarcer than cultivated espadin. Tobala is prized for delicacy and minerality, and this is the most contemplative bottling in the Lost Explorer range.
The piñas are roasted in conical earthen pits lined with volcanic rock and river stones, the source of the smoke, then milled on a stone tahona before fermentation and distillation. The wild agave and the slow roast give an earthy, savoury character: aromas of tobacco, cocoa and wood, then a palate of leather, wet clay, vanilla, citrus and fresh grass with a clear umami undertone. Bottled at 42%, it leans mineral and earthy rather than overtly smoky, showing why wild Tobala commands the attention it does.