Mezcal Ancestral, Arroqueno, 'Justina Ruiz Perez', El Jolgorio

• Mezcal Ancestral produced in Sola de Vega, Oaxaca
• Maestro Mezcalero Eustaquio Velasquez Ruiz
• 100% Arroqueño (A. americana)
• Cooked in a small, conical earthen oven; crushed using wooden mallets
• Fermented in open air wood vats (tinas)
• Distilled twice using traditional Filipino-style clay pot stills
• 258 bottles produced
• 52.1% ABV (ABV may vary batch to batch)

The most famous of Agave americana varieties, Arroqueño are typically some of the largest—and longest to mature—agaves in Oaxaca. In Sola de Vega, in recent years, Arroqueño has been flowering younger than generations past (in this case, at just 7 years of age), often yielding higher sugar content by weight but smaller plants from which to work. The dense flavor and deep buttery caramel tones the species is beloved for are on full display here, enhanced by the Ruiz family’s clay pot stills and careful production.