Del Maguey Single Village Mezcal 'Chichicapa Boca Del Cerro'

Del Maguey Boca del Cerro is a unique batch of mezcal that began in 2004 when Del Maguey founder Ron Cooper planted two-year-old agave Espadin. The agaves were planted in Teotitlan del Valle, Oaxaca on land loaned by local brand partners with a 50/50 arrangement; the landowners were to be responsible for keeping the agaves healthy and weed-free. Unfortunately, they neglected the agaves, hence the plants failed to grow in size but sent roots deep into the earth resulting in a minerally, wild essence. This struggle to survive on the ancient terraces at the mouth of the mountain, finally maturing in nine years is what gives Boca del Cerro (which roughly translates to “mouth of the hill”) its distinguished character.

The tiny, ripe piñas were roasted in a conical stone pit underground, ground by a horse-drawn tahona, fermented naturally in wooden tanks using ambient airborne yeasts, and then distilled in small copper stills. Boca del Cerro was crafted by mezcalero Faustino Garcia Vasquez in the same palenque and through the same process as Chichicapa, the first mezcal Del Maguey brought to the US in 1995. The only change, Faustino now works with his son Maximino Garcia Chávez who has returned from laboring in the US to make Mezcal. This rare release is a tribute to family and tradition. After celebrating their 20th Anniversary with this once-in-a-life- time mezcal, Del Maguey placed the remainder in glass where it has rested for four years. For this limited edition of 1062 bottles, Del Maguey is donating 25% of the net proceeds of every bottle made to efforts to preserve teaching of the ancient Zapotec language in village schools.