Introducing Revelador Artesanal Mezcal, from the first ever collaboration between famed Oaxacan Maestro Mezcalero “Don Goyo” and his son Rodrigo Martinez Mendes.

3 Mesquites is located in San Baltazar, Guelavila, Tlacolula, Oaxaca, Mexico. The 3 Mesquites paleñque is synonymous with award winning mezcals handcrafted by maestro Don Goyo. As a traditional artesanal paleñque, 3 Mesquites includes a single underground conical oven, four fermentation vats, two copper alembics, and one stone Tahona drawn by a horse named Satana. Set amid corn fields and agaves, 3 Mesquites was founded by Don Goyo 30 years ago. 3 Mesquites paleñque is a short walk away from where he and his son Rodrigo Martínez Méndez were born.

The process of handcrafting Revelador Artesanal Mezcal, consists of agaves harvested at the peak of maturity and roasted in 3 Mesquite’s underground conical oven using oak and mesquite firewood to heat volcanic rocks which are first covered in agave fibers (bagazo) and then layered with the agave piñas. The piñas are covered to retain moisture and the oven is sealed with earth to steam roast each agave to perfection for over 72 hours. Agaves are cooled for several days before proceeding to extraction by a horse-drawn stone Tahona. As the agaves release their sweet nectar under the weight of the stone Tahona wheel, the juices are collected and added to cured pine wood vats with the agave fibers (bagazo) for fermentation. The natural fermentation occurs over four to seven days using only natural yeast. While ambient temperature and humidity affect the actual fermentation time, the desired alcohol level is achieved and the fermented juices (must) and agave fibers are transferred to a copper alembic still for the first distillation. The first distillation is completed in about 3 hours, after which both tails (“colas”) and heads (“puntas”) are removed, keeping only the heart or body of the first distillate (“ordinario”). The ordinario from the first distillate is transferred back to a copper alembic still for the second distillation, which is completed in about 6 hours. The resulting mezcal is bottled at 47-48% abv.

Don Goyo and Rodrigo, along with 3 Mesquites are committed to sustainable practices that give back to the land for the bounty it provides. All of the agave fibers (bagazos), are composted for fertilizing the agave and corn fields, the waste water (vinazas) are recycled and used for adobes and fertilizing, while all of the firewood is reclaimed from fallen trees. Don Goyo has also begun to semi-cultivate all of the varietals used by 3 Mesquites in order to alleviate pressure on wild agave populations.