Madre Mezcal hails from the rolling hills outside San Dionisio in Oaxaca, Mexico. Jose Ines Garcia Morales and his family have been producing the spirit for years, but it was Tony Farfalla that first brought the distilled drink to the United States.
In the beginning, Tony went back and forth to the southern Mexican state and brought the Mezcal home in plastic Coke bottles. Soon, the requests for the spirit grew too much for him to carry on his own, and thus Madre Mezcal was born.
The palenque (Mezcal distillery) is family run with cousins and uncles joining wives and sons in the process of creation. That is what gives Madre its unique warmth and earthy flavors. It is produced by the people who have been making it for generations, and the spirit tastes of the surrounding terroir.
Madre Mezcal is made with 70 percent agave Espadin and 30 percent agave Cuixe (Karwinskii) agave. The agaves are roasted in an earthen pit, and fermented with local well-water and wild yeast found in the mountain air. The family’s aged copper still is used for distillation.
The Mezcal is straightforward without any complex additives. It is dry with a good agave flavor and just a hint of smoke. The nose is sweet with notes of earthy sage. It’s minerally as it moves across the tongue to a long floral finish. Its 45 percent ABV means there is some fire, but it does not overwhelm the subtle textures of the beverage.
Madre’s subtle, straightforward flavors make it an excellent choice for a Mezcal Margarita or for a slightly smoky play on a traditional Paloma.
Madre Mezcal is committed to sustainable production and eco-awareness. They use recycled glass bottles and wild agave cultivation, and are committed to producing a quality ethical product.