Sentir Espadin (Olla de Barro)

Item: Sentir Espadin (Olla de Barro)
Rating: 3.5
Author: The Editors

Clay pot espadín from Matatlán – the format does the heavy lifting

Score: 3.5/5 agaves

Producer: Sentir Mezcal
Region: Santiago Matatlán, Oaxaca
Agave: Espadin
ABV: 49%
Price: $55 ($)

Verdict

Most Matatlán houses put their espadín through copper and call it a day. Sentir's olla de barro version is the interesting choice – earthier, oilier, with the mineral signature barro gives everything that passes through it. At 49% the house isn't apologizing, and it shouldn't. Track this one before the Olla de Cobre – the format is doing real work here.

The barro pot is the whole argument. The liquid agrees

Tasting notes

Nose: Wet earth, then green banana, mineral smoke

Palate: 49% and clay distillation give this more weight than the usual Matatlán joven – oily mid-palate, stone-fruit sweetness, a savory copper-less edge you only get from barro

Finish: Earthy, chalky. Long

The bottom line

Buy the barro version. The copper one is optional