In the remote town of Caltepec, high up in the mountain border between Oaxaca and Puebla, maestro Enrique Esquivel and his son produce small amounts of truly stunning mezcales, working primarily with Papalométl (Agave potatorum, otherwise known as Tobalá) and Pichumetl (Agave marmorata, as seen here—otherwise known as Tepextate), both cultivated and wild harvested by the family. Pichumetl in Puebla seems to mature at much faster rates (as young as 8 years) than Tepextate in Oaxaca (which typically reaches maturity between 18 and 30); the agave typically yields a smaller heart (or piña) with much higher sugar levels per kilo, with the resulting distillate showing richer texture and a sweeter profile alongside the species’ classic floral and vegetal notes.