Del Maguey San Jose Rio Minas Mezcal

We love a brand that just never disappoints.

Ron Cooper of Taos, New Mexico, loves Mezcal. He loves everything about it from the choice agave plants used to the local "palenques" (distilleries) brewing up this sacred elixir. "Maguey" is the Aztec word for "agave". So he established Del Maguey Single Village Mezcal in 1995, spending his days searching the back roads of Mexico discovering the small family farm distilleries making Mezcal with local flair. He bottles up their local Spirit and sells these previously unavailable, small batch artisanal releases to a grateful public.

Del Maguey is a brand that prides itself on its sustainability and focus on village producers. Taking their processes back to the ancient traditions of the Oaxaca people, Del Maguey ensures that these traditions are enshrined in their product. Sourcing their Mezcal from individual villages, they support micro-economies. This allows them to take a step back from all that mass produced Mezcal and present something unique to the market.

At Del Maguey, they like to say that you don’t find Mezcal, but it finds you. Not to get all mysterious, this was quite literally the case when they stumbled upon with this very limited edition of Vino de Mezcal series in the middle of nowhere. Made in the village of San Jose Rio Minas in the remote Northern Mixteca Alta region of Oaxaca, it’s made from Espadin and Arroqueño maguey. This variety needs 8-10 years to reach maturity at about 4855 feet. Roasted for 3-4 days and fermented for 10-15 days, spring water is then added to the mix and it's finally bottled at 100 proof. 96 points for this one at the 2019 Ultimate Spirits Challenge.