This is a joven ensamble, which means three distinct maguey varieties are cooked, milled, fermented and distilled together as a single batch rather than blended after the fact. Espadín supplies the sweet cooked agave backbone, Madrecuishe brings the herbal green vegetation and wet mineral character typical of the Karwinskii family, and Tobalá adds the floral tropical lift that makes wild potatorum agave so sought after. Because the three ferment as one, the result reads as a single integrated spirit rather than a blend with visible seams. Yuu Baal is a Oaxacan social enterprise built around producer families in San Juan del Río, San Luis del Río, Tlacolula and Miahuatlán, and this bottling comes from Miahuatlán de Porfirio Díaz in the southern sierra. Production is fully artisanal and fully manual. The piñas are roasted in an underground conical stone pit oven fired with local firewood, which is where the smoke enters the spirit. They are then crushed by tahona, the horse drawn stone wheel that presses rather than shreds the fibers, fermented with wild yeast in open wooden vats, and double distilled in small copper stills. Nothing about the process is industrial, and bottles are released in numbered small batches. At 90 proof the mezcal carries real weight without turning hot, and the higher strength is doing useful work here: it keeps the mineral and floral top notes from collapsing under the roast character. Drink it neat at room temperature in a copita, with no ice and no rush, and give it a few minutes in the glass to open. It also stands up well in a smoky Negroni or an agave forward sour if you want to cook with it, though the wild maguey component rewards patience far more than mixing.
ABV / Proof
| ABV |
45% |
| Proof |
90 |
| Size |
750ml |
| Country |
Mexico |
| Region |
Oaxaca, Miahuatlán de Porfirio Díaz |
| Category |
Mezcal Artesanal |
| Expression |
Joven Ensamble |
| Maguey |
Espadín, Madrecuishe, Tobalá |
| Agave Species |
Angustifolia, Karwinskii, Potatorum |
| Cooking |
Underground conical stone pit oven |
| Milling |
Tahona stone mill |
| Fermentation |
Open wooden vats, wild yeast |
| Distillation |
Double distilled, copper still |
| Age |
Unaged |
Tasting Notes
Color: Clear and bright with no wood contact, showing fine beading when agitated.
Nose: Wet stone minerality first, then spearmint and green vegetation, with guava, powdered sugar and a thread of honey behind a restrained campfire smoke.
Palate: Soft entry that builds, moving through bubblegum sweetness and watermelon into burnt marshmallow, roasted agave fiber and dry ash. Herbal and earthy through the middle.
Finish: Long and mineral, with a brief flash of warmth on the back palate and a slow fade of smoke, citrus peel and damp earth.
FAQ
What proof is Yuu Baal Espadín Madrecuishe Tobalá? It is bottled at 90 proof, or 45 percent alcohol by volume.
What does ensamble mean on a mezcal label? It means multiple maguey varieties are cooked, fermented and distilled together as one batch, rather than distilled separately and blended afterward.
What is the difference between mezcal artesanal and mezcal ancestral? Artesanal permits tahona or mechanical milling and copper or clay stills, while ancestral is restricted to clay pot distillation and stone or wooden milling. This bottling is certified artesanal.
Is this mezcal smoky? Yes, but moderately so. The smoke comes from roasting the agave in an underground wood fired pit oven, and here it sits behind the mineral and herbal notes rather than dominating them.
How should I drink it? Neat at room temperature in a copita or small clay cup, sipped slowly. Ice will mute the floral Tobalá character.
Where can I buy Yuu Baal Espadín Madrecuishe Tobalá Mezcal online? Available here at Liquor On Broadway while stock lasts, with fast insured shipping nationwide.
