Akul’s Espadin, averaging 8-10 years in age and hand-harvested from their own land, is managed under their sustainability plan where hundred of acres of agave have replanted to combat specific agaves from becoming endangered due to overharvesting. Their Espadin comes from a northern part of Oaxaca called Tamaulipas where Espadin finds the best conditions to develop full flavor. The pinas are roasted in a conical stone oven designed by maestro mezcalero Eric Hernandez. The unique design, which he has patented, reduces the overall cooking time while using less mesquite and oak, thus becoming a more environmentally friendly tool which also reduces the smoky flavor of mezcal, resulting in a more subtle, delicate taste. After 2 days of roasting, the pinas are Tahona milled (they use electricity instead of a mule or horse to avoid animal labor) and added to large, open top Sabine wood vats with local mountain water to naturally ferment for 4 days. After being twice-distilled in copper alembic stills, the mezcal is then rested in steel or glass for several months before bottling. Espadin, a member of the of the Angustifolia family, has a balance between sweetness and herbaceousness.

Cirial agave, a member of the Karwinskii family, only grows in limited area in Oaxaca which is characterized by arid land and little rain. This unique plant takes between 10 to 12 years to reach its maturity point. Akul’s Cirial, hand-harvested from their own land, is managed under their sustainability plan where hundred of acres of agave have replanted to combat specific agaves from becoming endangered due to overharvesting. The pinas are roasted in a conical stone oven designed by maestro mezcalero Eric Hernandez. The unique design, which he has patented, reduces the overall cooking time while using less mesquite and oak, thus becoming a more environmentally friendly tool which also reduces the smoky flavor of mezcal, resulting in a more subtle, delicate taste. After 2 days of roasting, the pinas are Tahona milled (they use electricity instead of a mule or horse to avoid animal labor) and added to large, open top Sabine wood vats with local mountain water to naturally ferment for 4 days. After being twice-distilled in copper alembic stills, the mezcal is then rested in steel or glass for several months before bottling. Cirial, like other members of the karwinskii family, have thick, woody stalks that are frequently incorporated into the cooking and fermentation process which results in herbal, spice and citrus notes along with slight tannins. On the palate, the Akul Cirial has pleasant acidity, mixed with the flavors of cilantro seeds and hints of pineapple and orange with balanced and moderate smoke.

The Madrecuishe (Karwinskii), Tobala (Potatorum) and Arroqueno (Americana) blend from Akul come from agaves aged 12, 12, and 20 years respectively. All three are varieties of wild agave, each with a unique profile. Madrecuishe is a tall fibrous agave, tobala are short, compact agaves that thrive in the shade, and arroqueno is an enormous spikey agave that resembles an oversized Espadin. Each variety of agave is 1/3 of the total blend. The different types of pinas are roasted together in a conical stone oven designed by maestro mezcalero Eric Hernandez. The unique design, which he has patented, reduces the overall cooking time while using less mesquite and oak, thus becoming a more environmentally friendly tool which also reduces the smoky flavor of mezcal, resulting in a more subtle, delicate taste. After 2 days of roasting, the pinas are Tahona milled (they use electricity instead of a mule or horse to avoid animal labor) and added to large, open top Sabine wood vats with local mountain water to naturally ferment for 4 days. After being twice-distilled in copper alembic stills, the mezcal is then rested in steel or glass for several months before bottling.

Tepetzate, a member of the marmota family of agaves, can take from 20 up to over 30 years to reach maturity. These are large, slow-maturing agave, and as such, they clearly express the terroir on which they grow. They thrive in mountainous, rocky sites and are known for producing extremely herbaceous mezcales. Akul’s Tepetzate, from an average of 20 year old agaves, is combined with Espadin (avg 8 years) and cooked together in a 50/50 blend. The pinas are roasted in a conical stone oven designed by maestro mezcalero Eric Hernandez. The unique design, which he has patented, reduces the overall cooking time while using less mesquite and oak, thus becoming a more environmentally friendly tool which also reduces the smoky flavor of mezcal, resulting in a more subtle, delicate taste. After 2 days of roasting, the pinas are Tahona milled (they use electricity instead of a mule or horse to avoid animal labor) and added to large, open top Sabine wood vats with local mountain water to naturally ferment for 4 days. After being twice-distilled in copper alembic stills, the mezcal is then rested in steel or glass for several months before bottling. The Espadin lends a fruitiness to this blend that showcases the herbal, tobacco notes of the Tepetzate.