This is an ensamble, meaning more than one maguey goes into the bottle, and 400 Conejos is unusually transparent about how it is made. The front label prints the whole process: the towns of Tlacolula and Yautepec in Oaxaca, milling by stone pulled by horse, fermentation in wooden tubs, distillation in a copper pot still, and roasting in a volcanic earth pit oven. Most producers make you go looking for that. Espadín supplies the backbone, sweet cooked agave and structure, while Tobalá contributes the lift. Tobalá is a wild growing maguey that takes far longer to mature and yields much less sugar per plant, which is why it commands a premium and why it is usually blended rather than bottled alone at this price. What it brings here is aromatic: citrus, orange blossom and a floral quality that sits above the smoke rather than under it. The volcanic pit roasting is where the smoke originates, and it stays restrained and integrated instead of dominating. In the glass this is clear and bright. The nose opens on citrus and orange blossom with mesquite, dried fruit and lime peel behind, over baked agave. The palate is balanced, moving through green fruit and herbal notes into ripe currant, baking spice and cinnamon bark, with the cooked agave smoke threading throughout. The finish is soft and medium long, complex rather than aggressive. At 80 proof it is approachable enough for someone stepping into mezcal for the first time, but the Tobalá component gives it enough to interest a more experienced drinker. Serve it neat in a copita at room temperature, and give it a minute to open.
ABV / Proof
| ABV |
40% |
| Proof |
80 |
| Size |
750ml |
| Country |
Mexico |
| Region |
Oaxaca |
| Town |
Tlacolula and Yautepec |
| Category |
Mezcal Artesanal |
| Expression |
Joven Ensamble |
| Maguey |
Espadín and Tobalá, 100% agave |
| Oven |
Volcanic earth pit |
| Milling |
Stone pulled by horse |
| Fermentation |
Wooden tub |
| Distillation |
Copper pot still |
| Bottling |
Envasado de origen, bottled at source |
| Age |
Unaged |
Tasting Notes
Color: Clear and bright, unaged with no wood contact.
Nose: Citrus and orange blossom lead, with mesquite, dried fruit and lime peel over oven baked agave and a subdued smokiness.
Palate: Balanced and layered, with green fruit and herbal notes moving into ripe currant, baking spice and cinnamon bark, carried on gentle cooked agave smoke.
Finish: Soft and medium long, complex, closing with a light touch of smoke.
FAQ
What proof is 400 Conejos Espadín Tobalá? It is bottled at 80 proof, or 40 percent alcohol by volume.
What is an ensamble? A mezcal made from more than one maguey variety. Here Espadín provides the sweet cooked agave backbone while Tobalá adds citrus, floral and aromatic lift.
What makes Tobalá special? It is a wild growing maguey that takes considerably longer to mature and yields far less sugar per plant than cultivated Espadín, which is why it is expensive and usually blended rather than bottled on its own at this price.
Where does the smoke come from? From roasting the agave in a volcanic earth pit oven, which is stated directly on the label. It is a production method rather than an added flavoring.
What does the name mean? It refers to the centzon totochtin, the four hundred rabbits of Nahuatl tradition, deities associated with agave drink and intoxication.
Where can I buy 400 Conejos Espadín Tobalá Mezcal online? Available here at Liquor On Broadway while stock lasts, with fast insured shipping nationwide.
