This is the pure voice of agave, sung raw and high over the Oaxacan mountains. Koch El is a traditional, small-batch espadín made the ancestral way: cooked underground, crushed by tahona, fermented open-air, and distilled in copper. The result is a mezcal that tastes like earth, fire, smoke, and story.

The nose is wild, immediate, and beautiful. Roasted agave rises first — warm, smoky, vegetal. There’s sweet smoke, like burning mesquite, balanced by green herbs and sun-dried citrus peel. Look deeper and you’ll find brine, black olive, crushed river stones, and a faint floral lift — like agave flowers in bloom.

On the palate, it’s bold but not aggressive. The texture is oily and mouth-coating, the flavour a tapestry of fire-roasted agave, smoke, salt, and sweet lime. There’s a wildness here — like fresh earth after rain — mixed with notes of grilled pineapple, green chilli, and smoked sea salt. Mid-palate brings an almost creamy texture that softens the edges and draws out the flavour.

The finish is long and complex — sweet smoke, minerality, and the memory of campfire ash lingering long after the flame is out.

Drink it neat, slowly, from clay or copita glass. This is not for mixing — this is for ceremony. Serve it with orange slices and sal de gusano, or pair with fatty pork, grilled aubergine, or roasted corn. It’s a mezcal that reminds you where the land begins.