"WE LEAVE NO MARK ON THIS EARTH WHILE MAKING THIS MEZCAL. IN FACT EVERY HAND IT TOUCHES IN THE PROCESS IS ENRICHED BY IT'S VERY EXISTENCE."
Process
Grown in the rich Oaxacan soil at high altitudes, our agaves take between 8 and 13 years to fully mature before harvest. This length of maturity adds to the flavor complexity of the final liquor.
When the jimador determines the agave is ready to harvest, the leaves are sliced off using a jima and then the piña, the core, is removed from the soil.
The piña is the heart of the agave and can weigh up to 100kg. One litre of mezcal can be produced from roughly 10kg of piña.
Once harvested, the piña's are transported to our palenque, often by mules due to the rough terrain.
We cook our piña's using an artisanal method dating back to the 1500's. First we warm an earthen pit filled with heated volcanic stones for nine hours. Once at the right temperature, we cook our pina's for five days, sugars are transformed, and a rich smoky flavour is infused. Every step of the process is supervised by our Master Mezcalero.
When the piñas are ready, they are removed from the earthen pit, left to cool and crushed with a 500kg stone wheel or 'tahona' to release the sugars, resulting in a juice or 'wort' and crushed agave fibres or 'bagasse'.
The 'bagasse' and wort is then scooped into open wooden vats and left to ferment for roughly two weeks. Our natural fermentation process dates back to the earliest days of mezcal production with no chemicals or yeasts added.
The fermented 'wort' is then separated from the 'bagasse' and distilled in small batches in traditional 100 litre copper stills over fire. All of our mezcals are distilled twice to produce a smooth flavour and a rich smoky finish.
Our mezcal is now ready to savour. Origen Mezcal delivers a true taste of Mexico in every drop, made by a traditional process, passed down through generations and unchanged since the 1500s.