Del Maguey Santa Catrina Minas Iberico Mezcal (750ml / 49%)

Del Maguey Iberico mezcal is the brain child of Ron Cooper, Chef Jose Andres and Chef Ruebn Garcia. When the team went on a research tour of Del Maguey's Santa Catarina distillery in 2012, they witnessed the production of traditional pechuga mezcal and the idea was born to replace the chicken breast with the legendary Iberico ham from Spain.

Iberico de Bellota ham is free-range, acorn-fed, black-footed Iberico pig from Spain. This Del Maguey Iberico is a Minero mezcal that undergoes a third distillation where the magic happens . The leg of ham is hung in the atmosphere of the still and a 24 hour distillation process begins. This artisan craft ensures the resulting mezcal is a crystal clear liquid that is not dominated by any one flavour, it is perfectly balanced. This is truly Mexico in a bottle.

AROMA: Spicy floral nose of carnation, tropical aromatics of gardenia and jasmine, ripe pear, dark fig, notes of wet green hay and forest floor.
TASTE: It enters the mouth like a caramel, and is round, soft and gentle, full-bodied, with a big middle palate. The long finish tastes of roasted root vegetables and umami, leaving the mouth with terracotta, a slate-like minerality and a touch of salinity.
ENJOY: Sipped slowly. Take your time and “kiss” this mezcal. Look past the alcohol and unlock a hidden world of agave goodness
Notes from https://delmaguey.com/iberico

• Village: Santa Catarina Minas
• Palenquero: Florencio Carlos Sarmiento, Florencio Carlos Vasquez, Luis Carlos Vasquez, Luis Carlos Martinez
• State: Oaxaca
• Region: Valles Centrales
• Maguey: Espadin
• Agave Species: A. angustifolia haw
• Age of Maguey: 8-12years
• Elevation: 1540 M (5052 feet)
• Roast Duration: 4-5 days
• Type of Wood: Huizache, Algaroble, Plum, Oak, Zapote,
  Jacaranda, Mango, Jarilla, Eucalyptus, Araucaria, Castor, Pitayo
• Milling: By hand
• Size of Tinas: 1450 L
• Fermentation Duration: 15-25 days
• Water Source: Spring
• Still Type: Clay
• Still Size: 120 L
• ABV of Mezcal: 49%