Zignum Mezcal Reposado

Zignum Mezcal Reposado is an Oaxacan mezcal made from Espadin at Casa Armando Guillermo Prieto in Tlacolula de Matamoros, the largest distillery in Oaxaca. Zignum offers a modern, accessible take on mezcal, and its production departs from the norm: the agave is not pit roasted but steam cooked in an autoclave, the method used for tequila, so the spirit carries only a gentle smoke rather than the heavy ember of traditional palenque mezcal.

This reposado rests eight months only in new American oak, which gives the honey, vanilla, caramel and orange that define it. The nose shows soft smoke alongside the earthy, mineral notes of Espadin plus vanilla and toasted wood, while the palate is smooth and supple with a pleasant sweetness and a light spice. Bottled at 40 percent, it is a barrel forward, approachable style that trades roast intensity for oak sweetness.