Mezcasiarca
ABOUT:
Mezcasiarca is a highly acclaimed, independent bottling project and a long-overdue homecoming label for Sandra Ortiz Brena, one of modern mezcal’s most significant icons and the co-founder of Oaxaca's famed In Situ Mezcaleria. The term “Mezcasiarca” historically refers to the person—often a woman—entrusted to serve and distribute mezcal at traditional community gatherings, weddings, and celebrations. Driven by a nostalgia for the pre-industrial era of agave spirits, Sandra curates singular, micro-batch heritage mezcals selected from highly respected maestro mezcaleros across southern Mexico (including regions like Miahuatlán, Yeguesia, and Santiago Matatlán). The brand acts as a tribute to original, unadulterated agave distillate. For the majority of their batches, the mezcal reflects what Sandra refers to as alta gama (high range): spirits distilled to still strength, cut purely from the heart of the distillation run, and bottled exactly as they come off the still with zero adjustments—no added water and no proofing down. Relying strictly on artisanal and ancestral methods—including hand-mashing with wooden mallets, natural open-air fermentation, and both copper and Filipino-style clay pot distillation—Mezcasiarca offers a true, high-proof masterclass in authentic Oaxacan terroir.
WEBSITE:
MEZCALS OFFERED:
Ensamble Ancestral (Tobasiche / Barril / Espadín): A stunning ancestral blend produced by Maestro Israel Perez in Santiago Matatlán and distilled in clay pots, bottled at 47.8% ABV. Toasty and warm on the nose, it offers welcoming aromas of smoked cedar, pear, wet moss, and toasted oats. The palate is highly complex and electric, combining unexpected flavors of sumac, ginseng, charred root vegetables, and a whisper of baked apple.
Mexicano: Crafted by Israel Perez in Santiago Matatlán and double-distilled in copper, bottled at 51% ABV. Intended as a tribute to the maestro's mother, it is beautifully floral and complex. The aroma bursts with gardenia, pineapple skin, fresh basil, and maple. The palate is profoundly rich, offering notes of milk chocolate, marzipan, and tropical fruit, finishing with clean stone and salt.
Tobaziche (Ancestral): A rare treat showcasing Agave Tobaziche distilled in traditional clay pots in Yeguesia, bottled at 51% ABV. Highly savory and earthy, the nose offers copal, macadamia, and brown butter, while the oily palate delivers rich harvest flavors of shiitake mushroom, dark cherry, tobacco leaf, and salted caramel.
Tepextate Ancestral: Produced by the "In Situ Team" in Yeguesia using clay pot stills and bottled at 45.75% ABV. This expression leans heavily into the rugged earthiness of the wild Tepextate agave. It is intensely terroir-driven, featuring bold aromas of wet bark, petrichor, river moss, and damp soil, balanced perfectly on the palate by notes of stewed plums, roasted red peppers, and sweet guava.
Cuixito (Ancestral): Crafted from a smaller subspecies of the Karwinskii family in Yeguesia and distilled in clay pots to a still-strength of 51% ABV. It offers subtle, savory aromas of granite, sage, and lemon zest. The mid-palate is glittering and explosive, bursting with fennel, stewed raisins, paprika, papaya, and a touch of brine.
Verde: A distinct, high-proof expression produced in Albarradas and bottled around 50% ABV. True to its name, it presents a highly herbaceous and green profile, featuring aromas of fresh hay and a remarkably juicy, fruit-forward aftertaste that perfectly balances its robust alcohol heat.
Tobalá: Produced in Yeguesia and bottled around 50% ABV. This expression captures the revered, wild-harvested Tobalá with a slightly bitter, beautifully smoky nose that quickly yields to a surprisingly bright, zesty, and citrus-forward palate.