Del Maguey Barril Mezcal

This is some unique, limited edition Mezcal from the one and only Del Maguey.

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.

Now, for something really unique, you're gonna want to go with this special edition from their Vino De Mezcal series, dedicated to the wizardry and know-how of the 80-year-old master palenquero "Don Lencho". Made from 100% semi-wild maguey Barril, which is one of the biggest and fattest varieties, these were roasted in a conical pit over scorching hot rocks and then buried in earth for 3 days. And what do they use for fermentation? Oh, they just let the good ol’ airborne microbes do their thang for 30 days. Then, double super slow distillation in an ancient style clay still. It’s all very natural and very ancient. The result is almost undescribable, but we can tell you there’s a striking umami finish.