Wahaka Mezcal Madre-Cuishe

Wahaka Mezcal Madre-Cuishe is a single-varietal joven mezcal — 42% ABV (84 proof), 750mL, made from 100% Madre-Cuishe agave (Agave karwinskii) grown around San Dionisio Ocotepec, Oaxaca, roasted in earthen pits, tahona-milled, fermented with wild yeast in pine vats and double distilled in copper by maestro Alberto 'Beto' Morales. It is available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor.

• ABV: 42% (84 proof)
• Size: 750mL
• Agave: 100% Madre-Cuishe (Agave karwinskii)
• Class: Joven — unaged
• Production: Earthen pit roast (3–5 days, ocote wood), tahona milling, pine-vat fermentation with wild yeast (10–12 days), double copper-pot distillation
• Origin: San Dionisio Ocotepec, Oaxaca, Mexico — NOM 0148X (label-copy sourced)

The Karwinskii in Its Purest Form

Madre-Cuishe is the grand Karwinskii — a tall, tree-like agave whose long maturation gives a mezcal of unusual dryness and poise. Wahaka bottles it alone so nothing blurs the variety's signature: citrus blossom, wet stone and that earthy, mineral depth the family is known for. Production is the house tradition under Beto Morales — earthen roasting, stone tahona, pine-vat fermentation with wild yeast, copper pot stills — carried out at the family's palenque in San Dionisio Ocotepec. Browse it alongside the rest of our mezcal range, explore the tequila and mezcal collection, or visit the Wahaka Mezcal vendor page.

Tasting Notes

Nose: Green aloe, pine sap and white pepper over light agave syrup and dusty clay. Palate: Lime, lemon and pepper with sage, candied ginger and a little mango, over a firm minerality the brand likens to fresh fallen rain on dry earth. Finish: Long, dry and earthy-citrus.

How to Enjoy

Neat in a copita — the blossom aromatics are delicate and worth meeting undiluted. Its dry minerality also makes it the mezcalero's choice for a stirred, spirit-forward serve.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Madre-Cuishe agave? A variety of Agave karwinskii, the tall trunk-forming agave family of Oaxaca. 'Madre' — mother — nods to its size and its role as a parent plant in Karwinskii stands.

How does Madre-Cuishe differ from the Wahaka Ensamble? The Ensamble blends varieties (Espadin with Madre-Cuishe); this bottling is 100% Madre-Cuishe, so the dry, mineral, blossom-led Karwinskii character stands alone.

What proof is Wahaka Madre-Cuishe? Wahaka's own listing gives 42% ABV (84 proof) for this bottling, and that is the figure used here.

Dry, floral and mineral — order Wahaka Mezcal Madre-Cuishe online from Del Mesa Liquor in San Diego, CA.