Erstwhile Henequén Mezcal (2018 Limited Edition)

Erstwhile Mezcal is a boutique importer of agave spirits based in Brooklyn, New York. We specialize in artisanal and ancestral mezcal.

Erstwhile is a mission-driven company.  Our mission is to help small, independent, family-operated producers go global and reach international consumers for the first time.  Our core values include: autonomy for and fair trade with partner producers, mezcal education to empower consumers, transparency, and elevating women in Mezcal and the broader Wine & Spirits industry.

A must-have for any serious mezcal collector. This is the first mezcal made from the Henequén agave that is available in the US market. This distillation, made from cultivated Henequén agave, is a small-batch limited edition of 397 liters (roughly 500 bottles) from the personal collection of the late mezcal producer Juan Hernández Méndez in Santiago Matatlán, Oaxaca.

Smooth and savory.  Mineral and saline notes of clay and wet earth.  Reminds us of the smell of fresh rain in the Oaxacan countryside. Also the subtle fragrance and sweetness of corn meal, evoking fresh atole and tamales.  It is a smooth easy sipper, so the finish may surprise you: slightly spicy, with a tingly numbness that lingers on the tongue and reminds us of Sichuan peppercorns.