Codigo 1530 Ancestral Mezcal
Codigo 1530 Ancestral Mezcal is a 43.1% ABV (86.2-proof) ancestral mezcal from San Juan del Rio, Oaxaca — 100% wild maguey papalome (Agave potatorum), distilled in clay pots by artisan families with no machinery and no additives. Cooked in an earthen oven, hand-mashed with wooden sticks, and naturally fermented in leather vats, it represents mezcal in its most traditional form. Available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.
- ABV/Proof: 43.1% ABV / 86.2 proof
- Size: 750mL
- Aging: Unaged (ancestral category)
- Origin: San Juan del Rio, Oaxaca, Mexico — single-village production
- Production: 100% papalome (Agave potatorum); earthen-oven cooking, hand crushing, leather-vat fermentation, clay-pot distillation, zero machinery
The Oldest Way to Make Mezcal
"Ancestral" is not marketing language — it is a formal category meaning agave crushed by hand, fermented naturally, and distilled in clay, with no automation anywhere in the chain. Codigo 1530 partners with artisan families in San Juan del Rio to produce this papalome mezcal the way it has been made for generations: wooden-stick mashing, open-air fermentation in leather vats, and slow distillation in clay pots that lend their own mineral signature. The result is a mezcal of remarkable texture and salinity that stands apart from the Artesanal's wine-barrel polish — this is the deep end of the mezcal pool, and one of the most handcrafted spirits in the Codigo 1530 collection.
Tasting Notes
The brand's launch release describes a sweet, earthy nose of honey and tobacco, with salinity from the clay, bright minerality, vanilla, cantaloupe, and a hazelnut finish. Retailers echo honey and tobacco on the nose with a lingering sweet-earthy finish touched by gentle smoke.
How to Enjoy
Sip neat from a copita at room temperature — water or ice would bury the clay minerality and delicate fruit. Best enjoyed slowly, in good company, after the bottle has breathed for a few minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does "Ancestral" mean for mezcal?
It is the most traditional category: hand-crushed agave, natural fermentation, clay-pot distillation, zero machinery.
What agave is it made from?
100% papalome (Agave potatorum), a wild Oaxacan maguey.
Why is it more expensive than the Artesanal?
Fully manual single-village production with no machinery means a slower, lower-yield process.
Is it smoky like other mezcals?
Tobacco and gentle smoke come from the earthen oven and clay distillation — no smoke is added.
If clay-pot mezcal at its most traditional sounds like your kind of bottle, grab it online today — Del Mesa Liquor stocks Codigo 1530's full mezcal lineup for San Diego pickup or delivery.