Mezcal Amores Espadin Joven 41%

Mezcal Amores Espadin Joven is an artisanally distilled mezcal from Mitla in the Oaxaca region of South Western Mexico. Tequila is a type of mezcal (or mescal) that can only be made from one type of agave, the blue agave, however Mezcal can be made from up to 18 different types of agave. This particular one is made from the espadin agave, or “smallsword”, latin name Agave angustifolia.

Mezcal Amores was founded to make the best Mezcal possible, from the best terroirs whilst respecting, not only the environment, but also the workers that put in all the hard work involved in working the land, harvesting agave and producing the spirit. Mezcal Amores works only with sustainably cultivated agaves that are widely available, not endangered or grown in the wild. They also reinvest 15% of gross profits back into the local community to ensure the raw material and production over the long term. Five agave plants are planted for every one used.

The agave harvest is quite labour intensive, the agave are harvested by four jimaderos (jima is the process of harvesting the agave) who, in a normal 8 hour day, harvest around 70 cones (or quiotas) weighing 50 to 100 kgs, around 3.5 tonnes in total. This will produce some 350 litres of mezcal. Only agave that are at least 10 years old are harvested. Once the cones have been harvested they are roasted in wood-fuelled tapered stone ovens, which gives a smoky flavour, before they are mashed. Once mashed they are them fermented with yeast and water to produce the alcoholic liquid to be distilled. Most mezcal is only distilled twice, but Mezcal Amores Espadin Joven is triple distilled which helps to produce a finer, smoother, mellower spirit.