Papadiablo Espadin Mezcal Joven 47.5%

Description

Papadiablo Espadin Mezcal Joven is a hand-crafted, artisanal Mezcal made from the Espadin agave in the town of Bramaderos  in the municipality of Miahuatlán de Porfirio Díaz, State of Oaxaca. Espadin translates literally as “small sword”, so named after the shape of its leaves, and is the predominant agave variety in Oaxaca.

Papadiablo Mezcal is a brand made by fourth generation Mezcalero Don Alberto Ortiz, who is also known as Don Beto. Don Beto is a very highly regarded producer of Mezcal who not only makes Papadiablo but also produces the Los Danzantes, Marca Negra, Donaji, Los Cuerudoes, Yuu Baal brands too.

The Espadin agave for this Mezcal are grown organically in the highlands of the region. After harvest, they are wood-roasted in stone cone ovens, known as a horno. The roasted agaves are then hand crushed by mallet, fermented with wild yeasts and then double-distilled in a 200-litre copper pot still. Don Beto insists upon hand crushing as he is a stickler for hygiene and cleanliness in the distillery – traditionally horses are used to drive the mills to crush the agave. This is a time consuming process, it takes three members of his team fourteen hours to crush enough roasted agave to fill one fermentation tank. It is also said that the wild yeasts like hand-crushed agaves because it results in a more complete, more complex fermentation.

Papadiablo uses only organic materials, no chemicals, and no modified yeasts. They also only “bottle to proof”, that is the spirit is bottled as it comes off the still, it is not diluted at all. This Mezcal Joven is bottled at 47.5%.

Papadiablo Mezcal, literally “PopeDevil” is named after The Pope and The Devil. A red arrow bisects the label representing the battle of good versus evil.