Mezcalosfera Papalote – Don Benigno

About this destilado de agave

Mezcalosfera Papalote from Benigno Sánchez Gatica is produced in El Peral, Guerrero using Agave cupreata. Don Benigno cooks his agave in a pit oven, mills the cooked agave using a shredder, ferments the agaves with open air yeasts, and double distills in a copper alembic still.

As of November 2022, Don Beni was 86 years old. He is truly a master distiller.

Mezcalosfera de Mezcaloteca

Mezcalosfera de Mezcaloteca is the exported bottling from Mezcaloteca, the famous bar in Oaxaca City that is renowned for their educational tastings. They source all of their agave spirits directly from producers in seldom-traveled parts of Oaxaca that are often hard to get to. They put an exceptional amount of information on their labels, and all of their releases are very small batches that exhibit the most unique characteristics of mezcal. Though only a few batches have been brought into the US, there are dozens upon dozens of different varieties available for sale at their tasting room in Oaxaca City. Most of their spirits are labeled “Aguardiente de Agave”, however all of their limited exports are certified “Mezcal”. These mezcals are imported into the United States by Heavy Metl Premium Imports, which also imports popular brands Mezcal Real Minero and Rey Campero Mezcal.

Learn more about Mezcaloteca:

• Mezcal’s Old Soul on Garden & Gun (2014)