Tepanal Ancestral Mexicano Mezcal
Tepanal Ancestral Mexicano Mezcal is a still-proof ancestral mezcal from maestro Rafael García Aragón in Santa María Sola de Vega, Oaxaca, distilled from 100% Mexicano (Agave rhodacantha) and bottled at 49% ABV in a 750mL bottle. Mexicano is a broad-leafed, slow-growing agave that mezcaleros prize for its high sugar content and the sweet, herbal, fruit-driven spirit it makes — and it is nowhere near as common as espadín, so single-agave Mexicano bottlings are worth grabbing when they appear. The García Quiroz family roasts the agave about three days in a stone-lined earthen pit, ferments it with wild yeast in open wooden vats, and double distills it 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: Mexicano (Agave rhodacantha), 100%
- 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
One Agave, Chosen Plant by Plant
For the family’s Mexicano batches, Rafael selects each rhodacantha plant by its developmental stage, favoring mature specimens at peak sugar, and judges the final clay-pot cuts entirely by taste, using a venencia and jícara. Tepanal, named for Tepanaltepec, “hill of honeycombs,” launched in 2020 with his son Jair and partner Antonio Avendaño to bottle three generations of Sola de Vega clay-pot craft. Browse more single-agave mezcal across our spirits shelves.
Tasting Notes
Bright and lifted: floral notes, green apple and lemon blossom over a fine mineral thread. The palate brings pineapple, lime zest, roasted agave and anise, with the freshness and clean, crisp finish that make Mexicano the elegant pour in the range.
How to Enjoy
Sip it neat to follow the fruit and flowers, or give a mezcal Mule real lift. See more bright agave spirits among our cocktail staples.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Agave Mexicano?
Agave rhodacantha, a broad-leafed, slow-growing agave prized for high sugar and a sweet, herbal, fruit-driven spirit. It is far less common than espadín.
What proof is it?
49% ABV (98 proof), bottled at still proof in a 750mL bottle.
Who makes it?
Maestro Rafael García Aragón of the García Quiroz family in Santa María Sola de Vega, Oaxaca, double distilled in clay pots.
Order Tepanal Ancestral Mexicano from Del Mesa Liquor in San Diego, CA — the brightest single-agave pour in the Tepanal line.