12 Nights of Agave

Day 1

Cascahuin Tahona Blanco Tequila - Jalisco

We're kicking off the sample pack with a bang, from a distillery that is beloved by Tequila nerds. Tequila Cascahuin traces its roots back to 1904, with the first stone layed for their current distillery in 1955. The third generation of the Roales Torres family took the reins in the 1980's, adding some new technology such as stainless steel fermentation tanks while keeping many of the traditional practices of Tequila production alive. The Tahona Blanco is a limited release that celebrates those traditional practices, including the use of a tahona - a large stone wheel that has been used since pre-Hispanic times to crush the agave and extract the sweet juice for fermentation. Everything about this Tequila is top notch, using natural spring water for fermentation which takes place in a cement vat covered with bagasse (agave fiber). The agave is also cooked in a traditional brick oven, and the Tahona Tequila Blanco is double distilled with the first fermentation taking place in a stainless steel still with copper coil, and the second distillation in a copper still. The Tequila is bottled at a slightly higher proof of 42% ABV, and this delivers an old school style of Tequila where the natural agave flavours really sing through. We hope you enjoy this first night beauty!

Day 2

Del Maguey "Vida" Puebla Mezcal - Puebla

We are happy that Del Maguey, one of the most famous producers of modern Mezcal, is back on the market in Alberta! This is a single village Mezcal distilled near the base of the Popocatépetl volcano in Axocopan, in the state of Puebla. This Mezcal uses the traditional pit roasting method for their agave, giving a lovely smokey note. While this has all the hallmarks of a classic Mezcal, it is also surprisingly soft and supple. Del Maguey's tasting notes include roasted poblano pepers, peppery agave and a hint of green herbs. This is a great introduction to Mezcal from one of the world's benchmark producers.

Day 3

Estancia Raicilla - Jalisco

Raicilla (pronounced "rye-see-ya" is a traditional agave spirit from the province of Jalisco. What seperates it from Tequila is the use of different agave species, where Tequila can only be made from the Webber Blue Agave. It is generally not as smokey as Mezcal and often has a bright citrusy, floral element. Estancia Raicilla is made in the highlands of the Sierra Madre Occidental, and uses the Maximiliana species of agave. This definitely showcases the bright fruity and floral notes that Raicilla is known for, and is a great introduction to one of the lesser known agave spirits.

Day 4

Tres Agaves Organic Reposado Tequila - Jalisco

It's back to the classics with this lovely Reposado Tequila. Reposado is a category of Tequila that is aged in oak barrels for between 2 months and 11 months. Reposado means "rested", and is a nice midway point between the clear Blanco Tequilas and darker Añejo Tequilas. The Tres Agaves Reposado is aged for 9 months in used Kentucky Bourbon and Tennessee Whisky barrels. As the name suggests Tres Agaves also uses 100% certified organic blue agave to make this Tequila. This is a laid back style of Tequila that is perfect for sipping neat but that is also a great cocktail Tequila. As a bonus this is also an additive free Tequila, with no additional ingredients added!

Day 5

Solmano Espadin Con Mango Mezcal - Oaxaca

This is a Mezcal with an Alberta connection! Dave Brown who is one of the founders is based in Edmonton, and followed his love for agave spirits and cocktails all the way to Oaxaca. Dave made a pilgrimage to Oaxaca several years ago, visiting several palanques (distilleries) and meeting with several Mescaleros. In the end Dave really hit it off with third generation master mezcalero Jorge Cortes who now makes the Solmano Mezcals using his traditional methods. While I love the regular Solmano Espadin, this Espadin Con Mango is one of the most unique Mezcals on the market! During production, distiller Jorge Cortes will macerate over ripe mangos for two days with the fermenting agave, infusing real mango flavour into the Mezcal. He will also hang ripe mangos in the still during distillation, adding even more mango goodness (similar to a Pechuga which we will discuss a little later). The end result is a naturally flavoured Mezcal that showcases bright mango (especially on the nose) without being sweet or artificial. This makes it great to sip on its own, or also a great option for cocktails such as a classic Margarita or a Mezcal Negroni.

Day 6

Nodo Añejo Tequilana - Zacatecas

Nodo is a brand that burst on to the Alberta scene in recent years, beloved by bartenders for the great relative value it delivers. You'll notice this is called Tequilana - not Tequila - as the agaves for Nodo come from fields in the province of Zacatecas just outside of the official Tequila zone. This means that although Nodo shares many of the attributes of a great Tequila, it delivers extra value due to its "rogue" designation. The Nodo Añejo is made from 100% blue weber agave by master distiller Francisco Bañuelos. This Añejo is aged for 12 months in barrel, giving it the beautiful rich colour and adding a ton of depth and flavour including toasted oak and vanilla notes. This is built to be sipped neat or on the rocks, and is a great option for the whisky lover looking for an agave solution!

Day 7

Alipus San Baltazar Mezcal - Oaxaca

Alipus is a brand that focuses on sourcing artisinal Mezcals from traditional family distilleries and explores the regional difference or "terroir" of Mezcal. The Alipus San Baltazar is produced by Don Cosme Hernandez and his son Cirilo in the region of San Baltazar Guelavila. This is made in a very traditional way, with agaves roasted in an earthen pit, agaves ground with a stone mill and copper pot still for distillation. Fermentation also takes places in traditional pine wood vats. The agaves for this Mezcal (made from the Espadin variety) are grown at a high altitude, and the end result is a very traditional Mezcal with a mineral, earthy edge. The owners of Alipus are dedicated to supporting small family distilleries, and allowing them an outlet to sell and market their Mezcals while protecting the traditional methods of production and way of life.

Day 8

Peloton de la Muerte Pechuga - Guerrero

Pechuga is a special, festive style of Mezcal often produced for special occasions such as holidays, weddings, etc. Classically Pechuga is made by infusing a Mezcal with a raw turkey or chicken breast, often along with a selection of fruits, nuts, seeds, etc. There are many different iterations of Pechuga, often based on traditional family recipes - I've seen Pechugas that infuse everything from mole poblano to Iberico ham! For this Pechuga however, the mezcalero does not using any meat, focusing on fresh fruits to give a bright citrusy kick. The Peloton de la Muerte Pechuga is made by master mezcalero Rodolfo Obregón using a base of wild agaves from the state of Guerrero. This old family recipe for Pechuga is completely vegan, making it unique while still honouring traditional processes. If you enjoy agave spirits, I would definitley suggest seeking out more examples of this celebratory style of Mezcal!

Day 9

Don Fulano Añejo Tequila - Jalisco

Don Fulano is definitely one of my favourite new premium brands of Tequila to hit the market in recent years. The bottles are beautiful, and the Tequila itself is delicious. I even muled a bottle of their blanco on a trip to Mexico a few years ago (as I wasn't sure that Loreto would have a shop with a solid Tequila selection).

Don Fulano is one of the last family owned Tequila distilleries, and they have been honing their craft for 5 generations as agave farmers. The distillery as we know it today dates back to 2002, and they keep their agricultural roots alive as one of the only distilleries to also farm their own agave! Don Fulano is additive free, using only 3 ingredients to craft their Tequila - agave, years and natural spring water. Their añejo is aged for a minimum of 30 months in a combination of French oak casks that have previously held red wine from Burgundy and the Loire Valley in France. The end result is a wonderfully flavourful and smooth Tequila that is best sipped by the fire (or enjoyed with a cigar if you are into that!). I think this is a great benchmark Añejo and hope you enjoy.

Day 10

La Higuera Sotol Texanum - Chihuahua

Here we have another unique form of agave spirit - Sotol! Sotol is an artisinal spirit produced in northern Mexico primarily in the state of Chihuahua, and also in the southwestern USA. It is made from the wild harvested Desert Spoon plant (Dasylirion), which is similar to agave but is actually not agave. Sotol gets its. name from the Nahuatl word "tzoltolin" which translates to "palm with long and thin leaves" - the plant itself almost looks like a sea urchin, and it thrives in both desert and forest climates.

This Sotol is made from a sub-species of the plant called Dasylirion Texanum. This is made in an extremely traditional style, and delivers bright grassy, citrus and earthy notes. It won't be for everyone, but I think it's a great opportunity to try a traditional agave spirit that you don't see everyday!

Day 11

Calirosa Rosa Blanco Tequila - Jalisco

Rosa or rosé is a category of Tequila that has been making waves in recent years. Rosa or rosé Tequilas are made by aging a blanco Tequila for a short time in red wine barrels to give a lovely pink hue. In the case of the Calirosa Rosa Blanco, it is aged for one month in red wine casks to give a quick burst of flavour. The distillery's tasting notes include red berries, hibiscus and lychee, and it is a style that is refreshing on its own but also a great option with soda water with a lemon wedge, or enjoyed in your favourite Tequila cocktail! While Tequila is such a classic spirit, it's nice to see them always inovating as well.

Day 12

Siempre Rebel Cask Northern Gold Reposado - Jalisco

For our final night of the agave sampler, we have a real treat for you - the Siempre Rebel Cask Reposado! This is a really unique Tequila with a Canadian twist - it is aged for 8 months in a combinations of used Bourbon casks and also maple syrup casks. Only two smaller barrels were produced with a grand total of 264 bottles for the world making it a true limited release. This is made in a very tradtional way, using brick oven roasting to cook the agave and wild yeast fermentation. The end result is a dynamite reposado with sweet notes layered on top from the maple syrup casks. As soon as I saw this limited edition I knew it was the perfect finale for our agave sampler kit. Enjoy!