Description
Feliz Navidad! Christmas Mezcal! Only one batch of this holiday mezcal is produced each year. Slightly different from El Jolgorio’s standard Pechuga release, this special Christmas recipe contains mandarinas (small citrus fruit that are less sweet and more acidic than common mandarins available in the U.S.) and tejocote, the fruit of the hawthorn tree. These fruits are local to Oaxaca and available for a very short time each year. Other ingredients special to this recipe are also added to the still on the second distillation, including raisins, apricots, pineapples, apples, bananas, anise, and almonds, along with a raw turkey breast that is hung inside the still cap.
Traditional, artisanal mezcal forms an important part of rituals, ceremonies and festivities – known as “Jolgorios” – in villages in our native homeland of Oaxaca, México. Nine unique El Jolgorio Mezcals are made exclusively from different species and varieties of wild-harvested agave by Master Distillers in local indigenous Zapotec villages in Oaxaca, and are twice distilled in copper pot stills. On every bottle is inscribed the species of agave, the age at harvest, the village of production, the name of the Master Distiller, and the batch and lot number so as to truly connect the drinker with the land, people, and plants at the heart and soul of our mezcal. Salud y Dixeebe!
In Mexico, there are around fifty different species of agave used for mezcal production, each yeilding a mezcal with its own distinct character. In 2010, the Cortés family begain buiding a collective of top mezcal distillers from around Oaxaca, with the goal of sharing the true culture and spirit of mezcal with the world. In all, El Jolgorio represents sixteen different families, working in ten different regions of Oaxaca, Mexico, each with its own special story. Every bottle is hand-marked with the specific details of each batch, to truly connect the drinker with the family behind the expression.
