Lamata 'Durango' Masparillo (Familia Flores)

Produced by Felipe Soto in El Mezquital, Durango using Maguey Masparillo (Agave maximiliana). The agaves are cooked in an underground oven and mashed by axe and desgarradora. It is fermented in pine wood vats with spring water. It is then double distilled in a traditional Durango-style copper on bottom wood “Viejo” on top with wood arm going to copper serpentine. The final distillate is adjusted with heads and tails.

Maguey Masparillo is a medium-sized agave that grows on the mid-elevation well drained slopes of the Temoaya canyon. Masparillo has a relatively low sugar content so the batches are generally quite small. Lamata Masparillo is aromatic, sweet, and lactic mezcal is a unique spirit that will only be offered in very limited quantities as not to put undue pressure on the ecosystem.

Lamata is the export arm of Nación de las Verdes Matas, a small independent and unregistered mezcal brand created by Luis Loya. Growing up in Chihuahua, Luis developed a passion for exploring remote communities across Northern Mexico, and for their unique and traditional mezcales. Over the years, Luis has built strong relationships with a number of those rural maestros, in states like Sonora, Chihuahua, Durango, Nuevo León, and Tamaulipas, among others.

In 2011, he founded Nación de las Verdes Matas and Lamata, bringing a selection of these under-represented spirits to market. Because the current Denomination of Origen for mezcal does not recognize several of these states and production styles, Luis has chosen not to certify any of them as such. The goal of the project is to preserve the “gusto historico”—the liquid culture, terroir and history—unchanged; to ensure the producers receive an equitable share of the profits; and to educate and broaden the horizons of mezcal consumers by sharing these beautiful spirits.

In order to protect these natural resources from being over exploited, and to keep small scale production methods intact, typical lots range from 40 liters to 200; US releases are extremely limited.