Cinco Sentidos Espadín Capon, Alberto Martinez

Alberto Martínez López crafts this espadín capón at Palenque La Escondida in Santa Catarina Albarradas, a high-elevation village in Oaxaca's Valles Centrales at 7,500 feet above sea level. The capón method — cutting the quiote before harvest — concentrates sugar in the piña, yielding a sweeter, denser agave. This Cinco Sentidos Espadín Capón arrives in single batches, each distilled to proof between 48 and 53 percent depending on the lot, and some bottlings include small additions of Sierra Negra or other agave, technically making them ensambles. The producer's son-in-law Reynaldo works alongside Alberto, now a fourth-generation maestro mezcalero with over thirty years behind the still. 5 Sentidos sources from single villages and single palenqueros across Oaxaca, and Alberto's palenque exemplifies the traditional method. Mature espadín capón piñas roast in a conical earthen pit, then are hand-milled with wooden mallets — no mechanical tahona. Open-air fermentation follows, with natural yeasts and the addition of tepehuaje tree bark to the vats, a practice that introduces a distinctive woodsy, savory layer. Double distillation happens in small copper alembic stills, and each batch is bottled unaged as joven. The result is an artisanal mezcal that holds the terroir of Santa Catarina Albarradas and the Martínez family's decades of accumulated knowledge. The nose offers sweet cream, hard candy, and caramelized apple, with undertones of roasted pineapple and coffee cake. On the palate, expect rich, confectionary texture — milk duds, cake frosting, buttery minerality — balanced by herbal bitterness from orange pith and sage, plus the savory edge from tepehuaje. The finish is earthy, lightly smoky, with bittersweet herbs and cinnamon lingering. Sip it neat after dinner alongside dark chocolate or flan, or pair it with roasted pork and mole for a classic Oaxacan match. The higher-proof batches stand up well in a stirred cocktail, but the complexity shines brightest on its own. Cinco Sentidos Espadín Capón, Alberto Martinez is available now at Off Premise in Lincoln Park for pickup at 1128 W Armitage Ave, local Chicago delivery, or nationwide shipping.