Alipus San Juan del Rio Mezcal (700mL)

The smokiest Alipus.

Distilled by youthful maestro mezcalero Rodolfo Juan Juarez, this Espadín reflects high-altitude terroir on an upland plateau irrigated only by the rain. The use of the “del Rio” name is well advised because this distillery literally fronts onto and overlooks a river which supplies the piped-in water for the stills. 
 
This is a very fruity Mezcal with a full-throated agave flavor. It's the fruit of non-irrigated Espadín “grown in sunny mountain-top plantings in ferriferous soil at 4,600 feet.”  It is pit-roasted using black oak. Fermentation in tall red-oak vats is deliberately slow, creating a distinctive fruity richness. This is a big mouthful of a Mezcal that combines all the core sensations of agave fruit, smoke, and sweetness, with a structural minerality. This is definitely a Mezcal that would appeal to fans of peaty Scotch.