Reviews / Koch Espadin Ancestral
Review · · by The Editors
Koch Espadin Ancestral
Clay-pot Koch – the serious version of the brand
Score: 4.0/5 agaves
- Producer: Koch Mezcal
- Maestro: Alberto Vasquez, Israel Palestino Vasquez
- Region: San Juan Bautista, Sola de Vega, Oaxaca
- Agave: Espadin
- ABV: 47%
- Price: $60 ($)
Verdict
Koch's Olla de Barro is the bottle that proves the brand can do more than the Elemental tier suggests. Clay-pot distillation changes both texture and aromatic profile, and Sola de Vega clay is a distinct regional tradition. Buy this alongside any Cuish clay-pot for a two-producer study; it's Koch at its most place-specific.
Clay gives Koch the texture the copper line misses
Tasting notes
Nose: Wet clay with green herb, cool smoke
Palate: 47% – Alberto Vasquez and Israel Palestino Vasquez's clay-pot still softens Koch's espadín without flattening it; the mouthfeel is rounder than the copper releases, with the same clean house character
Finish: Warm, mineral – long
The bottom line
A buy. Koch's best-shelf release