Tepanal Ancestral Mexicano & Espadín Mezcal
Tepanal Ancestral Mexicano & Espadín Mezcal is a still-proof ancestral ensamble from maestro Rafael García Aragón in Santa María Sola de Vega, Oaxaca: Mexicano (Agave rhodacantha) and espadín (Agave angustifolia) roasted and distilled together, bottled at 49% ABV in a 750mL bottle. Espadín brings the familiar roasted-agave backbone and a touch of smoke; Mexicano, a slower-growing and far less common agave, brings sweetness, herbs and fruit. The García Quiroz family roasts the two agaves together about three days in a stone-lined earthen pit, ferments them with wild yeast in open wooden vats, and double distills them in small clay pots. It is available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor.
- Proof / ABV: 98 proof (49% ABV), still proof
- Size: 750mL
- Agave: Ensamble of Mexicano (A. rhodacantha) & espadín (A. angustifolia), co-roasted and co-distilled
- Maestro: Rafael García Aragón, García Quiroz family
- Method: Earthen pit roast, wild-yeast wood-vat fermentation, double clay-pot distillation
- Origin: Santa María Sola de Vega, Oaxaca, Mexico
Two Agaves, One Clay Pot
An ensamble is not a blend of finished mezcals: the two agaves are cooked, fermented and distilled as one, so the flavors marry in the pit and the pot. Tepanal, named for Tepanaltepec, “hill of honeycombs,” launched in 2020 with Rafael’s son Jair and partner Antonio Avendaño, and this is the most approachable way into the house’s clay-pot style — recognizable to an espadín drinker, with Mexicano’s extra dimension on top. Explore more ensambles in our mezcal collection and the wider spirits shelves.
Tasting Notes
Roasted agave and a wisp of smoke up front, then Mexicano’s signature sweetness: herbs, ripe fruit and a soft floral lift over clay-pot minerality. Balanced and layered, finishing long with sweet agave and gentle earth.
How to Enjoy
Neat, it shows both agaves; in a Margarita or Paloma it brings far more character than a standard espadín. Find more agave for mixing among our tequila shelves.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an ensamble?
Two or more agave varieties cooked, fermented and distilled together in the same batch — here Mexicano and espadín — rather than blended after distillation.
How is it different from the straight Mexicano?
Espadín adds a familiar roasted backbone and smoke, making the ensamble rounder and more approachable; the single-agave Mexicano is brighter and more floral.
What proof is it?
49% ABV (98 proof), bottled at still proof in a 750mL bottle.
Shop the Tepanal Mexicano & Espadín ensamble at Del Mesa Liquor in San Diego, CA — two agaves, one ancestral batch.