Madre Mezcal Ensamble Espadin y Cuishe

Madre Mezcal Ensamble Espadin y Cuishe is a 45% ABV (90 proof) artisanal mezcal in a 750mL bottle — an ensamble (blend) of cultivated Espadín and wild Cuishe agaves from San Dionisio Ocotepec, Oaxaca, made the traditional way by the Garcia Morales family: earthen pit roast, horse-drawn tahona crush, wild-yeast fermentation in open-air wooden vats, and double distillation in the family's heirloom copper pot still, available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.

• ABV: 45% (90 proof) — majority of sources; two listings show 40%, verify on bottle
• Size: 750mL
• Age: unaged (Joven)
• Agave: ensamble of cultivated Espadín (Agave angustifolia) + wild Cuishe (Agave karwinskii)
• Production: earthen pit oven, horse-drawn tahona, wild yeast + local well-water fermentation, double-distilled in heirloom copper pot still; certified artisanal
• Origin: San Dionisio Ocotepec, Oaxaca, Mexico — mezcalero Jose Garcia Morales and family

Two Agaves, One Family Still

An ensamble is mezcal's answer to a blend — different agaves roasted, fermented, and distilled together. Madre's "Red Label" pairs the workhorse Espadín, cultivated and sweet, with wild Cuishe, a tall, slender karwinskii agave that brings herbal, mineral lift. Everything happens at the Garcia Morales family palenque in San Dionisio Ocotepec: agaves slow-roasted in an earthen pit, crushed by a horse-drawn tahona stone, fermented with wild yeasts and local well water in open-air wooden vats, then twice distilled in the family's heirloom copper pot still. It's certified artisanal mezcal, and the 2020 Flaviar Award suggests the judges noticed. Browse more Madre Mezcal bottlings or explore our tequila and mezcal selection for the full agave shelf.

Tasting Notes

Roasted agave sweetness and woodsmoke up front, with the Cuishe adding green herbs, wet stone minerality, and a waxy citrus lift over the Espadín's honeyed base. The 45% ABV gives it real presence; the finish is long, smoky, and savory.

How to Enjoy

Neat at room temperature in a copita or small rocks glass — the traditional serve that lets the smoke and agave speak. Also a serious mezcal for cocktails: it holds its own in a mezcal margarita or an Oaxacan old fashioned.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is an "ensamble" mezcal?
A mezcal made from two or more agave species roasted, fermented, and distilled together — here, cultivated Espadín and wild Cuishe.

What is Cuishe agave?
A wild agave (Agave karwinskii) known for tall, slender stalks and a herbal, mineral character distinct from the sweeter Espadín.

Is Madre Mezcal certified?
Yes — it's certified artisanal mezcal, made by the Garcia Morales family in San Dionisio Ocotepec, Oaxaca.

What ABV is it?
45% (90 proof) per the brand and the majority of listings; a couple of distributor listings show 40%, so the bottle is the final word.

Traditional Oaxacan craft in a bottle — order Madre Mezcal Ensamble Espadin y Cuishe online from Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.