Cutwater Mezcal Joven

Cutwater Mezcal Joven is made in Durango, far north of Oaxaca, from wild Maguey Cenizo (Agave durangensis), an agave rarely used in commercial mezcal. Cutwater's mezcal was developed by co-founder and master distiller Yuseff Cherney with Gaston Martinez, whose distillery in Durango makes it with his master mezcalero; the partnership began after Martinez turned up unannounced at Cutwater's tasting room. The cenizo is harvested wild after 10 to 15 years of growth, roasted for three to five days in volcanic rock-lined pit ovens fueled with oak and mesquite, and fermented in open vats with wild yeast for three to five days, with the fibers left in to add a rustic character. It is then double distilled in stainless and copper stills and bottled unaged at 45% ABV (90 proof). For every wild cenizo harvested, Cutwater plants five hijuelos, the agave's baby offshoots, and keeps a nursery growing new plants from seed. Cutwater describes notes of green pepper, a finish of sweet cooked agave and a lingering, subtle smoke. The first release took Best of Show at the Denver International Spirits Competition, and the Tasting Alliance later scored it Platinum after three straight Double Golds.

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