Madre Mezcal
ABOUT:
In the highlands of southern Mexico, the renowned Arellanes family has been crafting one of the region's most celebrated mezcals since the late 1700s.
True to tradition, plastic bottles of what would become Madre Ensamble were brought over the border, making their way to bartenders in Brooklyn, who found creative uses for this mezcal that was sweet and complex.
In the past years, Madre has graduated from plastic bottles to hand-poured glass, from the bartender’s secret stash to the top of the cocktail menu, and from a handful of bottles tucked in luggage into a product shared by friends across America and parts of Europe, Asia, and Australia.
Using processes passed as family secrets through generations, our mezcal is truly handmade. With commitment to heritage and quality, many families expand very slowly, if at all. As Madre grows, each supplier has grown with us. Producing only as much as they feel comfortable. Each family supplies a unique mezcal that goes into the different Madre expressions.
WEBSITE:
https://madremezcal.com/
MEZCALS OFFERED:
Madre Mezcal offers artisanal agave spirits handcrafted by independent, family-owned palenques nestled in the rolling hills of the Oaxacan Sierra. True to the roots of mezcal as a spirit intended for personal guidance and celebration, Madre grew organically—originally brought across the border in reused plastic bottles before finding its way to the top of cocktail menus around the world. The brand is deeply committed to preserving heritage and community; as Madre grows, it ensures its partner families grow alongside them at a comfortable, sustainable pace, honoring traditional processes passed down through generations. Certified "Artesanal," their mezcals are produced using time-honored methods like fire-pit roasting, open-air fermentation with native yeast, and stone tahona crushing. Madre is also dedicated to the earth, ensuring that for every wild agave harvested, two more are planted in its place.
Espadín: Handcrafted by Carlos Mendez Blas and his family in Santiago Matatlán, this 100% Espadín expression represents the classic essence of Oaxacan mezcal. It serves as an incredibly approachable, everyday sipper with an invitingly bright profile. The nose is fresh and subtly sweet, featuring grassy aromas and a clean touch of classic campfire smoke. The palate delivers a comforting burst of roasted agave, hints of spearmint, and charred sugar, finishing with a zesty, tart spice.
Ensamble: The centerpiece of the brand, this mezcal is a harmonious blend of 70% Espadín and 30% wild Cuishe agave, crafted primarily by Jose Ines Garcia Morales and his family in San Dionisio. Designed to be slightly less smoky than typical mezcals, it is an inviting blend for newcomers and a nuanced favorite for aficionados. The nose is soft and sweet, giving way to a beautifully pure, elegant palate that features herbal notes of sage and earth, subtle tropical fruitiness, and a lingering, floral, and peppery finish.
Ancestral Ensamble (Espadín & Tobasiche): A uniquely traditional offering produced by Moises and his family, this expression honors the earliest roots of mezcal making. Utilizing the strictly regulated "Ancestral" method, the agaves are crushed entirely by hand using wooden mallets and distilled in small, hand-molded clay pots. It opens with a wildly exotic, herbal, and perfumed nose. The palate bursts with sweet, flame-orange, banana, and mango, balanced by a profound savory punch of cardamom and clove, all beautifully tied together by a complex, smoldering clay-pot smokiness.