Destilado de Agave Pichumetl 'Enrique Esquivel'

• Destilado de Agave produced in Caltepec, Puebla
• Maestro Mezcalero Enrique Esquivel
• 100% Pichumetl (Agave marmorata)
• Cooked in traditional earthen pit oven
• Milled by hand using a wooden mallet
• Fermented in cypress wood vats using spring water
• Distilled twice in a traditional copper pot still
• Floral and vegetal on the nose, evolving into a creamy and sweet texture on the palate with distinctive notes of peppercorn, blue flowers, and corn silk dancing in harmony
• 80 Liters produced
• 50% ABV (ABV may vary batch to batch)

Though Agave marmorata in Puebla shares many qualities with its cousins in Oaxaca, from its structure and coloration to its propensity to grow on sheer rock walls and high outcroppings, to many distinct flavors and aromas in distillation—this batch is a benchmark example that highlights those similarities as well as the distinct differences between the agave in these two states. Another magical and educational micro-batch release from the team at Cuish!

Tasting Notes

In the remote town of Caltepec, high up in the mountain border between Oaxaca and Puebla, maestro Enrique Esquivel and his son produce small amounts of truly stunning mezcales. The family primarily works with Papalométl(Agave potatorum, otherwise known as Tobalá) and Pichumetl (Agave marmorata—as seen here – otherwise known as Tepextate), both cultivated and wild harvested by the family.

Though Agave marmorata in Puebla shares many qualities with its cousins in Oaxaca, from its structure and coloration to its propensity to grow on sheer rock walls and high outcroppings, to many distinct flavors and aromas in distillation—this batch is a benchmark example that highlights those similarities as well as the distinct differences between the agave in these two states. Pichumetl in Puebla seems to mature at much faster rates (as young as 8 years) than Tepextate in Oaxaca (which typically reaches maturity between 18 and 30 years); the agave typically yields a smaller heart (or piña) with much higher sugar levels per kilo, with the resulting distillate showing richer texture and sweeter profile alongside the species’ classic floral and vegetal notes. Another magical and educational micro-batch release from the team at Cuish!