Inaequidens Aged in Glass 375 mL + Inaequidens Gusano 100mL – Rafael

This bottle sat waiting for seven years before it was ready to meet you.

Real de Otzumatlán is a village with an unusual past: founded during the colonial era as a gold and silver mining town, its miners once drank mezcal to power through long days underground. When the mines eventually closed, the mining faded — but the mezcal never did. Today, families in this small Michoacán pueblo have passed the craft down for as many as seven generations, working with maguey Inaequidens, an agave endemic to the high sierra of Michoacán that takes 8 to 15 years just to reach maturity.

A Signature Touch: Pulque in the Ferment

José Rafael García Fernández makes his mezcal the way it's been done here for centuries — fermenting in brick vats with a small addition of pulque, the ancient fermented agave beverage that predates mezcal itself. It's a regional signature that adds a distinct character you won't find in mezcal from Oaxaca or elsewhere. The spirit is then distilled through a Filipino-style still — part copper, part wood — a hybrid design that rounds out the final spirit.

Seven Years of Patience

This particular batch was distilled back in 2016 using a blend of cultivated and wild Inaequidens agave, then set aside to age quietly in glass for seven full years before finally being bottled. Unlike wood aging, glass aging doesn't add flavor — it lets the spirit slowly integrate and mellow entirely on its own terms, with nothing rushing the process.

What to Expect in the Glass

Expect a rounded, contemplative sip: celery bitters, menthol, cucumber, graham cracker, rosemary, and warm baking spice, with a buttery mouthfeel that reflects years of quiet integration. This is widely considered one of the finest expressions of high-altitude Michoacán mezcal available.

Why This Bottle Matters

Few producers age mezcal in glass for this long before release — it requires patience most can't afford. This bottle rewards that patience with a depth and roundness a young mezcal simply can't offer.

A contemplative sipper — pour it neat, and give it time to open in the glass.