Tres Tribus CUISHE Artesanal Joven Mezcal 700ml

Tres Tribus takes its name from the three tribes who first settled the region, and the mezcal is hand-crafted by fifth-generation mezcalero Juan Antonio Coronel in the remote mountains of Oaxaca. Coronel descends from Zapotec and Mixtec lineage, and his family has passed down traditional distilling knowledge for generations. The brand was founded by Altos Planos co-founder Juan Coronado after he tasted Coronel's mezcal on a trip to Oaxaca in the mid-1990s, and Tres Tribus has since become a Certified B Corporation committed to carbon-neutral, environmentally responsible production.

This bottling is made from wild-foraged Cuishe agave, plants that take anywhere from ten to twenty-five years to mature in the pine-covered forests around San Francisco Nuxaño. The harvested piñas are cooked for up to a week in an underground conical oven fueled by encino oak wood, then machine mashed to break down their notably tough fibers. Fermentation takes place in underground amphoras with pristine mountain spring water and ambient yeast, followed by a double distillation in copper.

The nose carries overripe green apple, cottage cheese, and mixed berries with a hint of coconut and bubblegum. On the palate, herbal rosemary and warm vanilla and cinnamon meet tangy blue cheese, unfolding into strawberry, orange, and pomegranate through the finish.