Cuentacuentos Espadin Ancestral Mezcal Angel Crus Robles (750ml / 47.2%)

Cuentacuentos Espadin Ancestral is produced by Ángel Cruz Robles at his small palenque which is hidden in the forest high in the Sierra Sur mountains outside of Sola de Vega, Oaxaca. Once harvested, the agave is cooked for 72 hours in a traditional underground horno and then milled by hand with a wooden mallet in a canoe. It is then naturally fermented in 8-9 days and doubled-distilled in clay pots. Spring water is used to adjust the spirit to approximately 47.2% ABV. His espadín is a good example of what technique can render from the commonly used agave Angustifolia. It is sweet, with a hint of vanilla and tree nuts.

Cuentacuentos curates small-batch traditional mezcals and destilados de agave from producers across the state of Oaxaca. Cuentacuentos released its first 6 mezcal expressions in 2018; future releases from the brand will change over time and include non-certified mezcals. The logo and bottle artwork (by artist Cesar Ruiz Conseco) features an opossum or tlacuache in Spanish. The tlacuache on the logo is El Viejito, the little old man opposum who stole mezcal from the demons as a service to humanity. The tlacuache ranks with the jaguar, eagle, and burro in importance in Zapotec, Taina, and Mexican mythologies. Cuentacuentos is bottled under NOM-O20X by Carlos Méndez Blas. The Cuentacuentos motto is Mezcal brings people together, stories make us friends.

AROMA: Gala apple slices. Magic marker. Cold, shredded rotisserie chicken
TASTE: Packs a wallop of a punch with beaucoup orange citrus sweetness, smoke and heat dialed in just right. This quickly softens which then reveals the clay in the finish. An interesting espadin – definitely better than most.
ENJOY: Sipping mezcal is enjoyed slowly and with friends. Makes premium cocktails.

Production Notes

• Maguey: Espadin
• State: Oaxaca
• Region: Sola de Vega
• Cooking: Traditional earthen oven pit
• Milling: Mallet and Canoe
• Fermented: Natural yeast - 9 days
• Still Type: Clay pot
• Classification: Ancestral
• ABV of Mezcal: 47.2%