El Samaritano Mezcal Mexicano 750ml

El Samaritano Mezcal Mexicano 750ml

This wonderful Mexicano (Agave Rhodancantha) was distilled by a high quality palenque in Santiago Matatlan. El Samaritano is the personal brand of the distillers, the Blas Family. The family has been making mezcal for three generations and still makes uses traditional artesenal techniques. The patriarche, Ambrosio Martinez Blas, has been working in the palenque since he was a young boy and plans to leave the distillery to his son. They’d never used Mexicano before and this special batch yielded less than 700 bottles. It’s won double gold at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition in 2019. The Mexicano is harvested wild at between 7-9 years of age.

The pinas are roasted over mesquite in a conical earthen oven lined with river rocks. The roast is covered with agave fibers and straw mats and left to smolder for 4 long days. The agave is crushed on a horse drawn Tahona and naturally fermented in pine vats for about 8 days depending on ambient temperature. Finally, double distillation in a high quality direct fire copper pot, with a brick worm tub cooling system. The resulting spirit has a purity and depth that is the hallmark of truly great mezcal. Smoky and vibrant with the unusual fruit quality that Rhodacantha sometimes exhibits and a wonderful balancing mineral intensity. A very good value for high quality wild agave.