Origen Raiz Cenizo is made in the state of Durango by a mezcalero who originally hails from Oaxaca. The ranch where this mezcal is made is at a high elevation and can receive frost during winter.
About this mezcal
Origen Raiz Cenizo is made with maguey Cenizo (Agave durangensis) by mezcalero Ignacio Grijalva Santiago, who is also known as Don Nacho. Though originally from Oaxaca, he moved to Durango with his family to run the palenque at Rancho El Ojo. Cosme Gabriel Simental also helps with the mezcal production. There are also some bottles made by mezcalero Noe Ramirez Varela. All of the bottles and batches we’ve seen have come from Rancho El Ojo, which is full of wild agave, sotol, and nopal plants. The ranch lies just outside the Sierra de Órganos National Park, at an elevation of approximately 6,350 feet. The agave used in this mezcal are smoked in underground ovens, crushed by mule-drawn tahona, fermented in open-air oak tanks, and double distilled in copper stills.
Origen Raiz del Espiritu Mezcal
Origen Raíz is a partnership between two distinct sets of Mexican roots. The Saravia family of Durango has a long history of working to improve the local economy through business, and the Cortés family of Oaxaca brings six generations of knowledge in mezcal production. The families were brought together by their sons, Asis Cortés and Bildo Saravia, through passion for their culture and respect for their heritage. Asis is well known for some of his other projects like Mezcal Dixeebe, and he was previously involved with his family’s other brands of Oaxacan-based mezcal: El Jolgorio, Nuestra Soledad, and Agave de Cortes. The family also operates a mezcaleria named Mezcalogia and Asis has a restaurant named Puro Burro in Oaxaca City.
Review this bottle
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agavetimes
16 reviewsComplex and elegant, this delicious handcrafted mezcal shared the essence of Durango with balanced notes of smoke, minerals, anise and rich fruit flavors. Kudos to Asis Cortes for this release.
Forpowder
60 reviewsbatch 10ACOIG01 YEAR 2018 EDITION 018 BOTTLE 580/1193 MAESTRO IGNACIO GRIJALVA. 48%.Aromas out of the bottle are warm and soft with a sour mash like smell of a bourbon. Flavors are creamy and mouth coating of overripe tropical fruit no smoke. There’s a light funkiness that is very nice and adds to the complexity. mostly brown types of flavors with a bit of rubber. no fresh fruit. some mint like tingling flavors at the end.
Jam
100 reviewsLot 40CDIG11
Review #16: Hit of bubblegum from the start and packed with tons of fruits. Melons, strawberry, lemon oils, mango, and pineapple. Underneath it all is vegetal and floral with touch of cream. This is an awesome cenizo and really solidified how much I love a fruity expression from it.
JDB
134 reviewsBatch# 32CD1603 Edition: 10 Bottle 481/491 48% abv
Tasting three different cenizos side-by-side. The nose has a slightly bitter aroma, but also a nice sweetness like freshly cut mango or pineapple, and a smell like toasted pecans. Flavors of tart apple, sour cherry, toasted whiskey barrel, and burnt sugar. Has some interesting minerality underneath those flavors as well. Alcohol hits a little harder for the 48% abv, but that heat does not linger very long. Looking over the other reviews, I do see Tyler’s cognac note (but maybe that is more armagnac?), not sure I get the funky note that others mention or the peated whisky, but that could be the whiskey barrel note; there maybe a touch of menthol and leather others mention. Enjoyable and a quality sipper.
Batch# 32CD1603 Edition: 10 Bottle 481/491 48% abv
Tasting three different cenizos side-by-side. The nose has a slightly bitter aroma, but also a nice sweetness like freshly cut mango or pineapple, and a smell like toasted pecans. Flavors of tart apple, sour cherry, toasted whiskey barrel, and burnt sugar. Has some interesting minerality underneath those flavors as well. Alcohol hits a little harder for the 48% abv, but that heat does not linger very long. Looking over the other reviews
Jonathan Lockwood
13 reviewsI’ll try to do better with the batch numbers and production dates in the future. For now, I can just say I had this at a mezcal bar called The Room in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico in March of 2022.
It may be unfair, but I’m addicted to the flavors of Oaxacan mezcal, while also appreciating distillations from the other southern states. Here in central Mexico, it’s not easy to find an excellent Salmiana. So what I’m trying to say is that (outside of sotol) I’m not disposed to like most distillations from the northern states. But I liked this one.
I found this nice and complex with plenty of earth notes. I’m vacillating between 3.5 and 4. Screw it: I’ll give it a 4.
I’ll try to do better with the batch numbers and production dates in the future. For now, I can just say I had this at a mezcal bar called The Room in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico in March of 2022.
It may be unfair, but I’m addicted to the flavors of Oaxacan mezcal, while also appreciating distillations from the other southern states. Here in central Mexico, it’s not easy to find an excellent Salmiana. So what I’m trying to say is that (outside of sotol) I’m not d
Dom
29 reviewsIncredible mezcal. Nose has notes of dried fruits, slight smoke, citrus, & lactic funk.
Palate has smokiness, minerality, blue cheese, leather & long citrus finish
El_Roberto
23 reviewsA bit of cherry on the nose, quite a bit of smoke on the palate, not too much complexity or flavours.
Patrick
54 reviews30CD1617
2017 edition 4
Nose : getting a strong scent of rye whiskey. Oak, leather and brown sugar dominates with peat and spices in the background.
Taste : Ashy vanilla then fruit (mainly cherries) and cream. Big Texas bbq notes as well.
Finish : More peat ( Ardbeg corryvreckan)
This has whiskey written all over it and I already rode that train…
Zack Klamn
531 reviewsBatch: 29CDIG02 (2017-Ed:08-Bottle:119/498)
Nose: Dizzying bubblegum sweetness.
Palate: Seems more refined than other cenizos I’ve tried. Dialed back on the funk but it still lingers in the shadows. Dark chocolate and a bit of cream cheese. Finish has notes of a pear-marinated, pork jerky – sweet, salty and a bit meaty. Overall = solid!
SoloAgave
86 reviewsOne of my favorites from Durango – green apple/pear/spice – find myself wanting to finish the bottle every time I take a sip. A more subtle/complex Cenzio expression and very different from other mezcals in the region. This is another bottle I always have on hand to share and its always a big hit!
TheAuditor
38 reviewsBatch: 14ACDI60118
ABV: 48%
Nose: Green vegetalness, slight lactic acid, salt, light pear, bubblegum, strawberry,
Palate: Medium, oily mouthfeel. Bright, vegetal, light pear, strawberry, brine, nutmeg, light ash, cream cheese funk.
Finish: Long, warm and dry. Strong green vegetals, brine, strawberry, allspice, smoked pork.
I really like this. It has a nice funkiness of flavors going on in it that seem to compliment each other very well. I know I wish I had a full bottle of this instead of this small sample, but this scratches my itch for a fruity, funky, slightly meaty mezcal.
Batch: 14ACDI60118
ABV: 48%
Nose: Green vegetalness, slight lactic acid, salt, light pear, bubblegum, strawberry,
Palate: Medium, oily mouthfeel. Bright, vegetal, light pear, strawberry, brine, nutmeg, light ash, cream cheese funk.
Finish: Long, warm and dry. Strong green vegetals, brine, strawberry, allspice, smoked pork.
I really like this. It has a nice funkiness of flavors going on in it that seem to compliment each other very well. I know I wish I had a full bottle of this instead of this s
BuffPhysics
11 reviewsMezcal Review #8 – Origen Raiz “Del Espiritu”
Agave: Cenizo
Mezcalero: Ignacio Grijalva Paulino, Ignacio Grijalva Santiago, and Noe Ramirez Varela
Region: Nombre de Dios, Tuitan – Durango
Still Type: Copper Pot
48% ABV
Additional Info: A sample of this came with the last maguey melate box. Interesting stuff, as the agave type and region that aren’t very common.
Nose: Fruity bubblegum, lime, and mint. A little hoppy, a touch smoky, and a wee bit coconutty.
Taste: Starts out savory, which is interesting after that sweet nose. Then takes a turn – vanilla ice cream, cantaloupe, lemon juice, and smoke. Sort of a sweetened Kilkerran 12 y.o., but with the volume turned out. The notes here are nice but they aren’t very strong.
Finish: Cooling and minty. Smoke, white pepper, and asparagus.
Notes: Well, it’s certainly unique. A lot of notes here that I’ve never had in mezcal before, I just wish it was a little louder. The palate especially is disappointingly thin, and air didn’t really seem to help. Maybe other batches are better.
Score: 5/10
1 | Disgusting | So bad I poured it out.
2 | Poor | I wouldn’t consume by choice.
3 | Bad | Multiple flaws.
4 | Sub-par | Not bad, but better exists.
5 | Good | Good, just fine.
6 | Very Good | A cut above.
7 | Great | Well above average
8 | Excellent | Really quite exceptional.
9 | Incredible | An all time favorite
10 | Perfect | Perfect
Next Up: Maguey Melate Club Pick July 2020 – Tobasiche
Mezcal Review #8 – Origen Raiz “Del Espiritu”
Agave: Cenizo
Mezcalero: Ignacio Grijalva Paulino, Ignacio Grijalva Santiago, and Noe Ramirez Varela
Region: Nombre de Dios, Tuitan – Durango
Still Type: Copper Pot
48% ABV
Additional Info: A sample of this came with the last maguey melate box. Interesting stuff, as the agave type and region that aren’t very common.
Nose: Fruity bubblegum, lime, and mint. A little hoppy, a touch smoky, and a wee bit coconutty.
Taste: Starts out savory
SwatSaladin
19 reviewsBatch: 14ACDIG0118
Sugarcane, white flowers, and some muted minerality on the nose. The palate is raw celery or maybe melon rind, blueberry, and strawberry starburst. This is way more flavorful than I expected, with a candy-like sweet berry flavor. A funky lactic influence appears in the finish, which takes a turn for the green and herbaceous. The candy-like sweetness makes it all the way to the finish line and lingers.
I didn’t care much for this when I first tried it years ago, but I’m really enjoying this now that I’m trying it again for the first time in quite a while. It’s supremely well-balanced, and on the lighter and more elegant side of the flavor spectrum (of which I am a big fan).
Batch: 14ACDIG0118
Sugarcane, white flowers, and some muted minerality on the nose. The palate is raw celery or maybe melon rind, blueberry, and strawberry starburst. This is way more flavorful than I expected, with a candy-like sweet berry flavor. A funky lactic influence appears in the finish, which takes a turn for the green and herbaceous. The candy-like sweetness makes it all the way to the finish line and lingers.
I didn’t care much for this when I first tried it years ago, but I’m rea
Rakhal
411 reviewsBatch 14ACDIG0118. 50ml sample from Maguey Melate. I bought a bottle of this from the first batch to come to the USA and this batch is quite a bit different, in a good way! Initial rye whiskey sweetness and full mouthfeel, then strong anise flavor, then into rye whiskey spice, leather, sandlewood, oak barrel, burnt vanilla, and brandied cherry. I am definitely buying a bottle of this!
El-Dawg
198 reviewsVery unique! I wish I had more to try than just the 50ml bottle. Great smell with a wild taste. Is that grapes (or grape medicinal syrup maybe)? Overall really good, and leaves a full mouth feel and finish. This is my first cenizo as well, so definitely excited about trying more of these agave types (and first agave from Durango).
Follow-Up (01/2021): Batch 29CDIG02, 2019, Edition 08. Really ashy, and reminiscent of rye whiskey. Melon, more oak barrels, whiskey spice, burnt ash, brown sugar. Not as sweet to my memory as first review…this bottle is more of a 3.5 for me after a month into it.
Very unique! I wish I had more to try than just the 50ml bottle. Great smell with a wild taste. Is that grapes (or grape medicinal syrup maybe)? Overall really good, and leaves a full mouth feel and finish. This is my first cenizo as well, so definitely excited about trying more of these agave types (and first agave from Durango).
Follow-Up (01/2021): Batch 29CDIG02, 2019, Edition 08. Really ashy, and reminiscent of rye whiskey. Melon, more oak barrels, whiskey spice, burnt ash, brown sug
t8ke
144 reviewsNot wildly complex, but interesting. Ashy melons, limes and lemons, paired well with a rich vanilla sweetness. Super unique. Loaded with fruits that I don’t often find in a mezcal.
Gregg T&T
100 reviewsEarthy and fresh on the note with notes of sandlewood, licorice and juniper berries. Palate is full of agave notes with hints of citrus and ash. A dry finish that’s unique and enjoyable.
Dylan
7 reviewsBatch 31CDIG03, 2017 Edition 9, 496/519. By Ignacio Grivalva. Super sweet nose of vanilla wafers, cherry, hay and brown sugar. Very little smoke with some mint on the palate. Medium finish for this unique mezcal
razorbackmike
148 reviewsWOW!this is complex and incredible.the nose reminds me of jager.very unique.there is a mix of strong smoke,very sweet tea,beef stew and the finish has a hint of cherry cough syrup.it doesnt sound great in description but it must be sampled to appreciate.incredible bargain.beautiful spirit!
Mansson
71 reviewsEdition 03/batch 28CDI617, distilled 2017. Typical green agave notes at the core, surrounded by melon, mineral, wax, vanilla, milk chocolate and butterscotch. Not much smoke. There is a lot of sugar cane sweetness, perhaps a tad too much. Round and balanced, a great dessert mezcal.