OAXACA, Mexico, /PRNewswire/ — Código 1530, the award winning, independent tequila brand is releasing an Ancestral Mezcal and an Artesanal Mezcal. The Código 1530 founders value the time-honored art of premium tequila and mezcal making and the natural evolution has brought them to join forces to refine and bring two new premium mezcals to the market. With an appreciation for the skill and patience needed to create an authentic, high-quality spirit, the Código 1530 mezcals have flavor profiles that are smooth on the palate, with subtle smoke to sip alone or layer into an interesting cocktail.
Image from Vine Pair
“After many years of going to Oaxaca, we were able to partner with trusted local producers from different regions in the San Juan del Rio region. With their help, we have had access to a wide variety of palenques and communities, hence the ability to make a very unique and exceptional ensemble,” says Co-Founder/co-CEO Ron Snyder.
Código 1530 has opted to use a Mezcal Master to adjust the process such as the temperature and different types of agave rather than machinery. This human effort guarantees the highest quality and efficiency at all times, while keeping sustainability in mind. Código 1530 uses agave from three different regions to ensure that the company is never over harvesting any of its agave, and prioritizes the time needed for land regeneration from harvest.
“Código 1530 has a great opportunity when creating its mezcal to use different types of agaves to obtain a wide range of natural flavors. By carefully combining different agave types, using espadín and tobalá from different terroirs, an incredibly well balanced mezcal was found that can be enjoyed either straight or in a cocktail,” Co-Founder/co-CEO Federico “Fede” Vaughan explains.
“‘Pearls’ tell the first story of mezcal, giving you a rough estimate on its ABV. It is by tradition we still view this method as our first stopping point in our process, allowing the gourd and benecia to produce ‘pearls’ while we watch for the size of the bubbles and how long they take to dissipate. This is our traditional method, our starting point, but certainly not our end point,” Vaughan said.
The Ancestral expression keeps with the ancient process and honors the origins of mezcal, the people producing it, and the region of Oaxaca. Because no machines or automation are involved in the process, the higher priced mezcal, Ancestral, is even more rare and has a different profile than the Artesanal mezcal. Starting with a sweet, earthy nose, notes of honey, tobacco and salinity from clay can be tasted, followed by bright minerality, vanilla, cantaloupe and hazelnut to finish. The agave is mashed by hand using a wooden stick, the fermentation is done in a leather vat, and the distillation in clay pots. This can only be done by a master distiller with vast experience and knowledge of mezcal, which is what makes this process so valued and appreciated. This unique mezcal is inherently sustainable because the process is so slow, and so careful, that overproduction is not possible. There are no machines anywhere in our ancestral process, and the fermentation vats, stills, and pestle have been used for generations.
The Artesenal expression follows the traditions of mezcal, incorporating a donkey-pulled tahona wheel, wild fermentation with begasso, and copper still for distillation. A market standout, due to the use of different terroirs that capture the flavors of different elevation regions of Oaxaca. This includes a wild tobalá incorporated in the process, to capture the bold notes of western Oaxaca. The Artesanal mezcal is then rested in sauvignon blanc wine barrels to take advantage of the herbaceous aroma to create something unique with notes of floral, light woody vanilla, citrus, dark cherry with hints of earth and clay and a delicate, subdued smoke.
Both Ancestral ($180) and Artesenal ($65) mezcals from Código 1530 are newly available through the Código 1530 website www.codigo1530.com or from licensed fine retail shops. The ABV of each mezcal is: Ancestral 43.1%, and Artesanal – 42.2%.
ABOUT CÓDIGO 1530
Código 1530 is a premium spirits brand born from a private recipe known for generations by only a select group of Mexico’s most respected families and finest jimadors. Now available to the world, Código 1530’s five core offerings Blanco, Rosa, Reposado, Añejo, and “Origen” Extra-Añejo, have been perfected using time-honored customs without ever veering from the historic traditions of including no added chemicals, flavorings, or sweeteners. Passionately produced in a distillery in Amatitán, the rested tequilas are meticulously aged to taste in the world’s finest French Oak Cabernet wine barrels procured from the Napa Valley region. Código 1530 is now available in all 50 states, and in 30 countries world-wide. Learn more at www.codigo1530.com.
Founded by Lou Bank, S.A.C.R.E.D. (Saving Agave for Culture, Recreation, Education and Development) hosts educational tastings and fundraises to underwrite programs that help replant agave, build libraries, ensure water security and repair damage done by earthquakes. In conjunction with S.A.C.R.E.D., 818 Tequila created the 818 Bricks Program which uses raw, post-production agave fibers, water waste and adobe soil to create bricks that can be used for building local community infrastructure like tasting rooms and schools. S.A.C.R.E.D. helps with brick production, as well as identifies the infrastructure projects for donation that serve as a value-add to local communities.
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Mezcal Rolsaluna is created by a brother and sister duo from the quaint town of Santiago Matatlán, which is often referred to as “
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Count me in! The last time I covered an event at the Fairmont Miramar – on Wilshire Blvd. just a block from the beach – was a Union des Grands Crus (UGC) Bordeaux Tasting in one of the large convention rooms. This time, as promised, we were outdoors under their enormous fig tree. Being outdoors was fine with me, as long as it was away from the street that, if you’ve been reading the news, is littered with abandoned electric scooters, the latest “craze” that may be dismantled by the time this article runs.
