Amaras Cenizo Joven Reserva Especial Mezcal

Volume: 0.7 litres | Alcohol content: 46% | Chill filtration: Yes | Colouring: No

Special Features:

Wild Cenizo agaves from Nombre de Dios in the Mexican state of Durango form the basis of this mezcal from the Amarás Reserva Especial range. The plants belong to the species Agave durangensis and grow for up to 14 years before harvesting. Their natural habitat includes rocky, oak-covered slopes. Within the Amarás nomenclature, Cenizo carries the designation A3 and is bottled at 46% alcohol.

The agaves are cooked in a conical earth oven lined with volcanic rock. Mezquite and/or Huisache provide the firewood. The cooked agaves are then chopped by hand with an axe. Fermentation takes place in rectangular pinewood vessels set into the ground. This construction helps maintain suitable fermentation conditions amid Durango's pronounced temperature fluctuations. The mezcal is then distilled twice in a copper still with a wooden upper section.

Tasting Notes:

• Nose: On the nose, earthy and smoky notes mingle with a delicate hint of citrus fruit.
• Palate: The mezcal is full-bodied on the palate. Intense roasted coffee bean notes are accompanied by woody spice and a subtle hint of raisin bread.
• Finish: Delicate woody notes and a sweet trace of raisins linger on the finish.

Distillery/Bottler:

For Cenizo, Amarás works with Maestro Mezcalero Gilberto Roldán in Nombre de Dios. Production preserves Durango's regional methods, including chopping with an axe, fermentation vessels set into the ground and the combination of copper and wood in distillation.

Amarás combines these regional production methods with its own system for classifying its mezcals. The nomenclature was developed after ten years of research into mezcal and wild agaves. To study the individual production stages, the brand works with the Technological Institute of Oaxaca, the Technological University of the Sierra Sur of Oaxaca and agave expert Rafael Ayala. The letter A denotes the artisanal category Artesanal, while C denotes the Ancestral category. Numbers from 1 to 5 classify the agaves by sugar content: lower numbers indicate higher sugar content, and higher numbers indicate lower sugar content. The system thus distinguishes between production methods and the characteristics of the raw material.

Facts: