Reviews / Erstwhile Tepeztate Ancestral
Review · · by The Editors
Erstwhile Tepeztate Ancestral
Ancestral-certified tepextate at 48% – Erstwhile's strong tier and an argument for what ancestral production actually does
Score: 4.0/5 agaves
- Producer: Erstwhile Mezcal
- Maestro: Epifania Gómez Mejía, Silverio Garcia Luis
- Region: Santiago Matatlán, Oaxaca
- Agave: Tepextate
- ABV: 48%
- Price: $70 ($$)
Verdict
Track this one if you want to understand what the ancestral certification actually buys you, the clay-still texture adds structural weight the standard Erstwhile tepextate can't reach, and the floral lift stays legible through the finish. One of the stronger mid-tier tepextates on the US market. Consensus 4.1 is earned, not generous.
Ancestral certification isn't decoration – it shows up in the glass
Tasting notes
Nose: Wildflower, wet stone, white pepper, cooling herb
Palate: Aromatic and textured, ancestral production (clay still, tahona, wild yeast) preserves tepextate's mineral character in a way copper-still production rounds off
Finish: Unending. Cooling, drying, herbal, with a slow stone fade
The bottom line
Worth chasing over the standard Erstwhile tepextate