Alipus Mezcal San Andres Joven

In Oaxaca state, artisan mezcal is still made using the hearts of agave plants, which are cooked in a fire-pit, crushed to pieces, mixed with water, permitted to ferment, and then distilled with the solids suspended in the resulting liquid.

The result is a smokier blend of flavors that incorporates more of the agave plant's natural taste, which in the case of Alipus San Andres Mezcal, has also been enhanced by fruits as well as the influence of the cypress vats in which it was fermented.

For people who love the subtle tension between balanced but competing flavors in the same mouthful, there are few choices that can match this particular mezcal.