Banhez Joven Cuishe Mezcal 750ml

Banhez is the mezcal produced by Integradora Comercial de Ejutla, a cooperative of more than thirty-five families based in the tiny village of San Miguel Ejutla, in Oaxaca's central valley. The co-op is built on sustainable, fair-trade principles, continuing production methods its members' ancestors have practiced for nearly two centuries. This particular bottling comes from mezcaleros Luis and Donaciano Pacheco, who distill in the nearby community of La Noria at an elevation of roughly 4,700 feet.

Cuishe, a scarce variety of Agave karwinskii, is roasted in underground, wood-fired earthen pits before being crushed on a donkey-pulled stone tahona. The milled agave ferments naturally in wooden tanks with wild yeast for five to six days, then moves through a small-batch double distillation in copper alembic stills. Cuishe's low yield and slow growth make it one of the more difficult agaves to produce at scale, so each release is limited.

The nose is bold with tropical fruit, jasmine, and warm cinnamon over a light herbal backbone. On the palate, guava, papaya, and ripe pineapple lead into eucalyptus and honeyed sweetness, with a peppery tingle carrying through a long, harmonious finish.