Mata Santa Mezcal
ABOUT:
Mata Santa Mezcal is deeply committed to a true "return to tradition," crafting 100% handmade, unadulterated agave spirits in Oaxaca. Dedicated to transparency and uncompromised quality, their mezcals are strictly full-proof (typically 47% to 51% ABV) with absolutely no water dilution or artificial additives. Mata Santa takes "small batch" literally, often releasing incredibly limited runs of fewer than 100 bottles per batch. The brand is equally devoted to sustainability and artisanal artistry: they established a nursery in Miahuatlán in 2019 to cultivate over 20,000 non-Espadín agaves, and their distinctive, earthy labels are handmade by a local paper artisan from gabazo (the upcycled, leftover agave fibers from the distillation process). Working with renowned Maestros Mezcaleros like Moisés Pacheco and Luis Mendez Jr., Mata Santa offers both artisanal copper-distilled and ancestral clay-pot-distilled masterpieces.
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MEZCALS OFFERED:
Espadín: Crafted from 5 to 7-year-old agaves by Maestro Moisés Pacheco in Miahuatlán. The nose offers a piney, floral, and lemony bouquet with a hint of green chilis, mild minerality, and very subdued smoke. The palate is slightly oily and herbaceous, bringing wonderful peppery notes, floral and citrus flashes mid-palate, and a dry, endlessly long finish accented by white pepper.
Cuishe: A testament to the unique terroir of wild Agave karwinskii, matured for 12 to 15 years. The aroma features fresh-cut wood, herbal tones, and delicate floral hints. The tasting experience boasts a high saturation of flavor, delivering an oily, mineral-rich palate of cooked citrus and green chili. The smoke builds in the mid-palate, introducing sweet tropical fruit and black pepper, before culminating in an intense, long-lasting finish of live wood and lingering agave sweetness.
Tobalá: A 51% ABV masterpiece made from wild Agave potatorum harvested at 12 to 15 years of maturity. The nose is abundantly fruity and floral, brimming with jasmine, tangy tamarind, cherry, and currants. On the palate, vibrant notes of blackberries, pineapple, and raw honey shine through. The caramelized agave sweetness and rich terroir beautifully overpower the subtle smoke undertones, leading to a highly pleasant and sweet finish.
Sierra Negra (Ancestral): Produced from massive, slow-growing Agave americana and distilled in ancestral clay pots. The aroma is deep and dark, featuring black cherry, licorice, red fruit, and leather. The palate yields surprising notes of strawberry, maraschino liqueur, and peat, with perfectly integrated firewood smoke. It leaves a remarkably decadent, crème brûlée-like finish.
Arroqueño (Ancestral): Crafted from massive wild agaves that take 15 to 20 years to mature. It boasts a deeply inviting nose of caramelized agave and rich chocolate. The mouthfeel is exceptionally dense and silky, delivering luxurious palate notes of white chocolate, sweet butter, and fudge.
Coyote (Ancestral): Another clay-pot distilled Agave americana expression. The aroma is highly vegetal, layered with raw agave and wild honey. The palate is defined by bright, green grassy notes and a light mineral sweetness imparted by the regional terroir and the clay pots, all perfectly balanced by gentle firewood smoke.
Jabalí (Ancestral): An ultra-rare, fiercely wild expression made from 100% Agave convallis. Fermented in open-air cypress vats and double-distilled in traditional clay pots, this 50.1% ABV spirit captures the rebellious, intensely complex, and wild nature of the Jabalí plant in a micro-batch of just 180 bottles.