Agave potatorum
12 years
San Luis Amatlán
With mallet
2
Wild and cultivated
Floor oven
In Sabino vats
Alembic
48%
Marcos & Eleazar Brena
*ABV will vary for each batch at the discretion of the mezcalero
Scientific Name
Maturation
Pueblo
Trituration
Distillations
Growth
Cooking
Fermentation
Distillation
Alcohol
Maestros Mezcaleros
Tasting Notes
The nose opens with smoky bacon and fireside smoke aromas, with wood and spice. Smoke gives way to bacon fat, earth, dried orange peel and pepper into a long robust finish.
Agave
The agave Tobalá (agave potatorum) used in our mezcal comes from the San Luis Amatlán region of Oaxaca. It is one of the biggest varieties of this relatively small species of agaves. Unlike the classic Tobalá whose piñas typically measure from 30 to 60 cm (12 to 24 inches), it is common to see our Tobalá —both cultivated and wild— measure up from 1.0 to 1.5 meters (39 inches to 59 inches). They also have a highly aesthetically pleasing appearance and it is common to see them used as ornaments in Oaxaca.
Mezcalero Comment
Tobalá is the only wild species that has been “domesticated,” although not 100%. Fifteen years ago, all the Tobalá used to make mezcal was 100% wild. Today, we at Noble Coyote, have done what many back then said was impossible: domesticate the wild Tobalá in order to ensure its continued availability for making fine mezcal. We can brag that we were part of the domestication of Tobalá which has helped protect this species in the wild...
This Batch Spirit
November 2017
Marcos: We cooked this batch of Tobalá during the spring – the best season to cook Tobalá if you are looking to maximize the production of mezcal. Crazy rains fell this year during the fermentation of our batch of Tobalá. The rains caused the temperatures to fall below normal and this slowed the fermentation process. As a result, the flavors have been concentrated giving this batch of our Tobalá its unique characteristics and taste.”