Del Maguey Wild Papalome Mezcal

When this rare butterfly flaps its wings, your taste buds are sure to feel it.

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.

Wild Papalome Mezcal is part of the Vino de Mezcal series. It's produced by Fernando Caballero Cruz in the village of San Pedro Teozacolalco, which is so remote it'd take you 5 hours on the worst rock and dirt road to reach. The Papalometl maguey variety gets its name after the word for butterfly in Nahuatl (papalotl), but its scientific name is agave Cupreata. Growing at 5216 feet, it needs a good 10-12 years to reach maturity. It's then roasted for 4-5 days and distilled in a stainless pot with a clay condensor and Carrizo (think Mexican bamboo) tube. Made with spring water and bottled at 90 proof, this is a super rare and super small batch Mezcal. And what's it like, you ask? Oh, just earthy, dark and, delicioso.