Every Mezcal fan needs to taste a fine Tobala Mezcal, and this is the one you should start with.
As a boy, Juan Carlos Gonzalez Diaz watched his father make Mezcal. But he left the agave fields to study building design, eventually becoming a professional architect in Mexico. But, as he tells the tale, the voices of his ancestor and heritage called to him from the fields and he returned to become the fourth generation of Mezcaleros in his family. His brand — Corte Vetusto — means "ancient cut" and speaks to the spiritual connection to the ancient art of Mezcal.
In the world of Mezcal, Espadin gets most of the attention. But among Mezcaleros and serious aficionados, Tobala (potatorum) agave is called the "King of Agaves." The Spirit made from this royal succulent tend to be lighter, more floral, and refined. Corte Vetusto Mezcal Tobala is hand-harvested and cooked for three to five days in an earthen oven using mesquite wood. It’s milled by a stone tahona and naturally fermented before being double-distilled — first in a small 270L copper pot still; and then in a 100L clay pot still. This princely Spirit is bottled at 42.4% ABV and took the Double Gold Medal at the International Spirits Challenge in 2020 and the Gold Medal (95 Points) at International Wine and Spirits Competition in 2020.