Erstwhile Cuishe Mezcal

Master Mezcalero: Juan Hernández Méndez & Hortensia Hernández Martínez NOM: NOM-0496X Agave Varietal: Cuishe Scientific Name: Agave karwinskii Town / Municipality: Santiago Matatlán State: Oaxaca Fermentation: Natural, Open-Vat Fermentation in Wood Still Type: Copper Alembic Date of Distillation: December 2017 Number of Liters in Distillation: 200 Liters ABV: 45% TASTING NOTES: Lovely nutty, earthy nose. On the palate, this mezcal has a bit of kick to it with notes of jalapeño pepper and spices. Banana and chipotle follow through with a hint of cinnamon sticks, clove, and bitter melon. CUISHE (Agave karwinskii) Cuishe is a wild agave from the Agave karwinskii family. Like all agaves from this family, Cuishe is distinctive for its height and tall cylindrical stalk, with slim agave leaves spreading outward at the top of the plant. Cuishe will take about 9 to 12 years to fully mature. When ready for harvesting, the oblong piña can be difficult to harvest due to its height relative to the ground. Another quality unique to Cuishe mezcal expressions is that in addition to the piñas, the stalks are also typically included in the roasting and fermentation, which can dramatically influence the flavor profile. Cuishe often produces a dry, gassy, and herbaceous mezcal with notes of pepper and spice. You may recognize some other agaves from the Agave karwinskii family: Cirial, Tobasiche, Barril, Bicuishe, and Madrecuishe.