Reviews / Ixcateco Espadilla
Review ·
Ixcateco Espadilla
Santa María Ixcatlán espadilla – clay-pot, serious, a little restrained
Score: 3.5/5 agaves
- Producer: Ixcateco
- Maestro: Amando Alvarez
- Region: Santa María Ixcatlán, Oaxaca
- Agave: Espadilla
- ABV: 45%
- Price: $150+ ($$$$)
Verdict
Amando Alvarez's work from Santa María Ixcatlán has been quietly becoming one of our favorite regional projects, small community, unmistakable handwriting. The espadilla is the more everyday of his releases but carries all the Ixcatec markers. Sits on the shelf next to the best of Cuish and Siete Misterios's clay-pot bottles. Buy to complete a clay-pot flight.
Ixcatec clay-pot is its own minor dialect of mezcal
Tasting notes
Nose: Wet clay, dry hay, light pepper, faint honey
Palate: 45-50% – Amando Alvarez's clay-pot espadilla sits as textured and mineral, with the Ixcatec regional character holding through; the ABV range shows up as slight variation bottle-to-bottle, which is honest rather than concerning
Finish: Dry, clean
The bottom line
Alvarez's everyday Ixcatec release. An underrated clay-pot bottle