El Rey Zapoteco is a premium handcrafted Mezcal produced by the second generation of the Hernandez family in Matatlán Oaxaca, in Mexico. The Mezcal are the result of a dedicated process, from the careful growing of the maguey plant until the final bottling.
The process begins by cutting the leaves and the roots when the agave reaches maturity (minimum 8 years and up to 30 years depending on the species), leaving only the heart named “piña” (meaning pineapple in Spanish) because of the resemblance to the fruit. The piñas are cut into pieces and cooked in a natural underground oven over wood and stone. This step lasts from 4 days up to 7 days depending the quantity of agaves. The cooked fragments are cut again and placed in a stone mil. The stone is pulled by a horse, grinding and extracting the juice of the pieces of agaves. The ground agaves are placed into wooden vats with water, allowing them to ferment utilising only natural yeasts. The fermented product, named “tepache", is distilled twice in copper stills, creating the final result: Mezcal. In some cases, the Mezcal is then placed in oak barrels allowing it to age for a period of time. The Mezcal obtained is poured back into the “guardianes” (copper still) to repeat the ritual and purify it by eliminating any residual water that has remained.
This Mezcal is produced with Espadin agave. The unique characteristic of this Mezcal is its traditional elaboration, which is concentrated in the second distillation: adding two turkey breasts, different endemic seasonal fruits, nuts, walnuts and almonds to the pot still. Once distilled, it is stored in barrels to accentuate the spicy and fruity aromas and flavours characteristic of this Mezcal.