och Arroqueno is made with wild maguey Arroqueno (agave Americana). Typically, this agave can take up to 20 years to mature, before it is pit roasted in a traditional fashion. Given the length of time needed to grow this elegant agave, sustainability of Arroqueno has become a big issue. The Koch Arroqueno is made by Adrian Bautista in Rio de Ejutla, Oaxaca. This mezcal has high fruity notes with hints of earth and herbs, clay and smoke.

Any certified mezcal will state the scientific plant name using the term Agave, while the common name that is used in the community and by the producer is listed as Maguey. For example, Maguey espadin is an Agave angustifolia.

This mezcal offers the perfect balance of flavours from four wild agave distillations: Cirial, Tobalá, Tobasiche and Lumbre. The agave Cirial creates a spiciness and a mineral element, while the Tobalá adds a thick body and sweetness. Lumbre and Tobasiche give depth and herbal characteristics. All the flavours emerge gradually and are easy to isolate and identify. The Mezcal Koch Ensemble offers a unique tasting experience that can easily compete with the best spirits in the world.

Madrecuishe Maguey madrecuishe (madre-cuixe, madrecuixe) is an Agave karwinskii. It grows mostly in dry climates, and typically takes a tall, cylindrical shape. Due to the agave’s dense core and low water content, mezcal made from Maguey madre-cuishe typically has high minerality with vegetal and floral notes.

Maguey mexicano (Agave rhodacantha) is also known as “dobadaan” in some regions, which is its local name in Zapotec. Though exact numbers are unknown, some speculate that there are seven or more sub-varieties of Maguey Mexicano that each produce different characteristics in mezcal. Some of those include Maguey mexicano penca larga, mexicano penca corta, mexicano liso, chontal, and amarillo grande. Many of these sub-varietals are very different looking plants.

Maguey tobasiche (or tobaziche) is an Agave karwinskii. Depending on region, the names tobaziche and largo may be referring to the same plant.

Maguey tepeztate (or tepextate) is an Agave marmorata. It produces beautiful quiotes at the end of it’s life that flower a rich yellow before turning to seed. Tepeztate takes as many as 25 years to mature in the wild, and sustainability efforts are needed in order to keep mezcal production of this agave in the future. Despite all odds it seems to flourish best on the sides of steep rocky cliffs. In certain areas of Puebla there is a smaller sub-varietal of the Agave marmorata that grows with lateral white stripes across the pencas. These agave can go by the name pichomel, pichorra, or pizorra depending on location.

Maguey tobala (Agave potatorum) grows wildly at high altitudes and it is often cultivated as well. Its relatively minuscule size yields extremely limited quantities of intensely aromatic mezcal. Due to its tiny size and long growing period (12-15 years), Maguey tobalá is becoming increasingly rare in some regions. Unlike most other maguey, tobala does not produce hijuelos, which are the shoots or pups that sprout around the main plant once it has matured. For this reason, tobala can only grow from seed. Towns like Santa Catarina Minas, Oaxaca have two different types of Maguey tobala: tobala chino which grows in the sun, and tobala orejon which grows in the shade. This difference in sunlight is amplified over the 12-15 years it takes for the plants to reach maturity, and the two ...

Maguey mexicano (Agave rhodacantha) is also known as “dobadaan” in some regions, which is its local name in Zapotec. Though exact numbers are unknown, some speculate that there are seven or more sub-varieties of Maguey Mexicano that each produce different characteristics in mezcal. Some of those include Maguey mexicano penca larga, mexicano penca corta, mexicano liso, chontal, and amarillo grande. Many of these sub-varietals are very different looking plants.

This is a mezcal that features the first limited edition of a new product line of predominantly wild-grown agaves. The available agave quantities are quite limited, which can be explained by seasonal fluctuations and the local growers, who supply their wild agave to the distillery. Thus, this mezcal reveals itself with a clear colour, wood and citrus flavours, wrapped in touches of smoke, leather, and grass.

The limited and exclusive editions of San Cosme Artesano celebrate the original diversity of mezcal and its roots in their land. Made with wild agaves and processes of production embedded in tradition, San Cosme Artesano is a careful production down to the smallest detail that enhances the laborious contemporary mezcal work.