Rezpiral Tepextate – Reina Sanchez

About this destilado de agave

Rezpiral Tepextate is made by Reina Sanchez in San Luis Amatlan. She makes her mezcal with agave that were cooked in a pit oven, mashed by hand with mallets, and double distilled in a copper still.

2018, series #3: A curated collection of eleven agave spirits crafted from four independent artisan maestros collaborating with the project. Labels in this series are hand drawn as before, and individually silk-screened labels, some with multiple colors.

2019, series #4, first release: A hand-selected selection of fifteen beautifully complex artisanal small batch agave spirits – by Abel Martinez of Santo Domingo Albarradas, Berta & Mario Vasquez of San Baltazar Chichicapam, Aureliano Hernandez of San Baltazar Guelevila, Reina Sanchez of San Luis Amatlan, Leonardo of San Baltazar Guelevila, and Simeon & Apolonio Ramirez of San Agustin Amatengo. Labels in this series were printed on a handful of colored fiber papers including amate (shown below presenting Berta’s ensamble).

2020, series #5, first release: seventeen complex artisanal small batch agave spirits. From Berta Vasquez of San Baltazar Chichicapam, 45 liters of Mexicano from a 150 liter batch, Tepextate, Espadin, Tobala/Tepextate ensamble (2/3 & 1/3), Cuish and a Cuish/Tobala/Tepextate ensamble. From Aureliano Hernandez of San Baltazar Guelevila a 130 liter batch of Pechuga de Café, a 400 liter batch of Arroqueño and 200 liter batch of Coyote. From Abel Martinez of Santo Domingo Albarradas, a 180 liter batch of Jabali/Mexicano, a 2019 180 liter batch of Tobala. From Simeon Ramirez of San Agustin Amatengo a 100 liter batch of Espadin & Piñuela, a 40 liter batch of Piñuela, a 100 liter batch of Mexicano & Tepeztate. From Reina Sanchez of San Luis Amatlan, a 200 liter 2018 batch of Tepextate, and Madrecuish. From Ignacio Antonio of San Vicente Coatlan, a 120 liter batch of Espadin.

Rezpiral

Rezpiral brings selections of high-quality traditional small-batch (non-certified) Mezcals into a handful of places in the USA. At the core of the project is the embrace of an ethos that aims to respect and support the multi-generational knowledge, independence, flavors, lands, and ways of each mezcalero family.

Rezpiral’s small scale allows for the advocacy of diversity on different levels, from supporting the autonomy of producers & their continued production of artisanal mezcals to the preservation of local land control. Rezpiral actively supports master artisan’s proactive planting and management of agave; recollecting and incubating seeds, transplanting and farming diverse species of endemic agave in sustainable ways. Rezpiral directs 10% of earnings back into supporting artisans farming.

Rezpiral has a regional greenhouse to support independent small scale mezcaleros in cultivating and reforesting their lands with local endangered wild agave varietals. They also are highly focused on a cultural and conservation residency program.