La Gran Ignacia Arroqueno

Verdict

Ignacia Villafañe is a name US drinkers don't know enough yet, and this arroqueño is part of why they should. At roughly 50% from Zoquitlán (an under-documented Oaxacan mezcal region), the bottle reads exactly the way arroqueño should – slow, earthy, deeply savory. Track it; sits honestly next to the Gusto Histórico Verde Mexicano and the best Real Minero arroqueños.

Tasting notes

Nose: Roasted pepper, then dark cocoa, hot earth, leather

Palate: ±50% – Ignacia Villafañe's arroqueño from Zoquitlán is a dense, earthy, cocoa-deep reading of the varietal at a properly serious proof. The agave shows its age and the distiller her discipline

Finish: Long, warm, mineral

The bottom line

Worth chasing. A serious arroqueño from a rare village