Salvadores Elote Mezcal

Salvadores Elote Mezcal is espadín mezcal infused with whole roasted corn during a secondary maceration after distillation. The base is eight-year-old agave angustifolia from Oaxaca, roasted in earthen pits and crushed with a tahona wheel, then double-distilled in copper pot stills. The elote—fire-roasted corn—introduces caramelized sugars and milky starch into the spirit, creating a mezcal that reads savory and sweet without crossing into liqueur territory. Salvadores operates in Oaxaca using traditional methods: earthen-pit roasting, tahona crushing, and copper pot distillation. The producer follows the same backbone for all their mezcals, then applies specific techniques to individual expressions. For this bottling, whole ears of roasted corn are macerated directly in the finished espadín, pulling in honey, butter, and that unmistakable scent of fresh corn cut from the cob. The infusion softens the smoke without erasing it, and an herbal edge—cilantro stems, green husk—keeps the profile from tipping into dessert. More about their lineup and process can be found on our Salvadores Mezcal producer page. The nose delivers honey and butter, followed by roasted agave and grilled corn. The palate is creamy with a mineral backbone, and the finish carries smoke and faint herbal bitterness. This bottle works beautifully with grilled meats—carne asada tacos, charred chicken thighs, smoky barbecue ribs. The corn sweetness mirrors what's happening on the plate, and the mezcal's minerality cuts through fat. It's also excellent with esquites, Mexican street corn salad, or any preparation where corn is the star. In cocktails, use it anywhere you'd want a richer, rounder mezcal: margaritas, palomas, or stirred drinks with amaro. In stock at Off Premise in Lincoln Park.