Puntiagudo RA-BAR-04, Barril Ancestral

This Barril was made from Agave Karwinskii harvested in San Agustín Amatengo. The magueyes were over 10 years old and semi-cultivated, with the concentration and depth that only long-aged plants give.

It’s also one of the first mezcales produced in collaboration with Sixto Martínez of Amatengo, father of a very united and hardworking family there. When we decided to collaborate with Sixto, Rolando and I (Cesar, founder of Puntiagudo) went to see the magueyes in person, not only to check their quality but also because Rolando enjoys travelling any time he can. Walking alongside the plants and seeing them with our own eyes gave us the confidence this batch would be outstanding.

From the field to the pot:

•⁠ ⁠2,013 kg of agave harvested on April 20, 2021

•⁠ ⁠Roasted for six days in a conical earthen oven, fed with guamúchil and copal wood

•⁠ ⁠Crushed by hand with machete and wooden mallets

•⁠ ⁠Fermented naturally for six days in 1,000-liter oak vats with well water

•⁠ ⁠Double-distilled on May 1, 2021 in a clay pot (Rolando works with both 80- and 100-liter pots), yielding 141 liters

•⁠ ⁠54 liters rested in glass for more than five years, then bottled on September 25, 2026

About the clay pot of Santa Catarina Minas

If you haven’t tried mezcal from this region, the clay still is the key to its peculiar identity. Santa Catarina Minas is one of the few places in Oaxaca where distillation is still done in small clay pots, traditionally with a carrizo (reed) condenser. Rolando works with pots of 80 and 100 liters, so each run is small and the cuts can be controlled closely. The clay heats slowly and gently, and the spirits tend to come out with a mineral, earthy character that’s hard to get from other stills: wet clay, rounded body, silky mouthfeel and a savory depth. Production is low and labor-intensive, which is part of why bottles from this village are so sought after.

Over five years in glass

This batch spent more than five years resting in glass, and it shows. Time in the bottle has smoothed the edges and integrated the spirit, giving it a refined, gentle character that belies its strength. At nearly 49% ABV, it drinks with surprising softness: no harshness, just a calm, silky texture that lets the maguey and the clay speak clearly.

The result is a mineral spirit with hints of green fruit, the sweetness of cooked maguey, and a rich, polished texture.

Product Details:

● Maguey: Barril (A. Karwinskii, San Agustin Amatengo)
● Area of Production: Valles, Santa Catarina Minas, Oaxaca, México
● Maestro Mezcalero: Rolando Angeles
● Classification: Agave Spirit / Distilled from 100% Agave
● Proof: 48.9% ABV
● Batch: RA-BAR-04
● 750ml bottles produced: 92