El Rey Zapoteco Mezcal: Oaxaca’s oldest artisanal mezcal brand

Oaxaca’s oldest artisanal mezcal brand from farm to bottle, El Rey Zapoteco was founded in 1960 by Don Serafín Hernandez Blas in the mezcal capital of the world, Santiago Matatlán. Today, the business is run by the family matriarch Doña Juana and Don Serafin’s sons.

Caretakers of agave fields that routinely yield some of Oaxaca’s largest agaves, the Hernandez family are faithful stewards of traditional production techniques that remain the same as they were at their founding. As one of the few mezcal brands that owns its maguey fields, El Rey Zapoteco is afforded an unparalleled degree of control over the quality of its agriculture. Only fully mature or "capón" agaves are harvested, and for every agave that El Rey Zapoteco harvests, five seedlings are planted to ensure the sustainability of future generations.

El Rey Zapoteco Joven - Espadin won 89 points at the 2020 Bartenders Spirits Awards.

El Rey Zapoteco Joven is made with agave Espadin in Santiago Matatlan, Oaxaca. The agaves are traditionally cooked in an underground oven for 4 to 7 days, milled by horse-drawn tahona, fermented in the open with natural yeasts, and double-distilled in copper stills. This mezcal has a floral nose. It’s a bit peppery with some minerality and a clean finish. The ABV may vary depending on where you purchase it so check your bottle for details.

Tasting notes.

El Rey Zapoteco can be found in these bottle shops and restaurants in Los Angeles:

Retailers:

K&L Wine Merchants - Hollywood

Venice Food & Wine

Ramirez Liquors - Olympic

Simon's Market & Provisions

Restaurants/Bars:

Elephante

Eveleigh

(Bar) Hermanito

Madre Torrance