Erstwhile Henequén Mezcal (2018 Limited Edition) 750 ml

Cultivated Henequén agave takes center stage in this rare 2018 limited mezcal from the personal collection of late maestro mezcalero Juan Hernández Méndez in Santiago Matatlán, Oaxaca. The December 2017 distillation was naturally fermented in open vats, then distilled in an encino-wood still with a copper alembic.

Its character moves from mineral, saline clay and wet earth into the gentle sweetness of corn meal, fresh atole, and tamales. The finish turns lightly spicy, leaving a tingly, Sichuan-peppercorn-like sensation on the tongue. A 45% ABV, 750 ml bottling from a 397-liter batch of roughly 500 bottles.