B-21 Top Recommendation
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If you're a mezcal fan or collector and you haven't jumped on board with 5 Sentidos yet, you're missing out on some of the most compelling, artfully crafted offerings in the category. The brainchild of American Jason Cox, the project began as a collection of house mezcals selected for his upstart Oaxaca restaurant El Destilado. This transplant with an insatiable thirst for artisan agave spirits spent countless hours and miles traversing Oaxaca and its surrounding environs, scouting out the best artisan mezcal producers no one had yet heard of. We're talking true family operations that run on sweat and calloused hands and that produce stunningly complex, singular expressions you won't find anywhere else. Today, the 5 Sentidos range offers a dizzying array of options and styles, and the two on offer here are just a glimpse of the full spectrum, but once you get a hold of them, you'll find yourself diving into the deep end.
The Espandin El Capón, from Alberto Martinez's La Escondida palenque in the mountainous village of Santa Catarina Albarradas, is "ultra-traditional destilado de agave from a true artisan of the craft" according to B-21 Spirits Buyer Andrew Kitz. Indeed, Martinez' mastery of clay pot distillation, a centuries-long practice here, is on full display here. High-toned, sweet aromatics give off tons of nuanced complexity, but it's on the "tour de force" palate where the style truly shines. With loads of weight and viscosity, the clay pot pedigree is evident, yet it's also expertly balanced for a profile that fans of this style will absolutely love.
Like the El Capon, the Pechuga de Mole Poblano from Defino Tobón Mejia is a showstopping representation of the style. Defino ferments theAgave cupreata(aka Papalote) mash with a freshly slaughtered chicken from his back yard, dousing it in homemade mole poblanoin the process. "A veritable bomb of savory, meaty goodness," the Pechuga de Mole is a wild ride of complexity and intrigue. As Andrew notes, "Delfino is absolutely nailing the style, and it's no wonder this expression has developed such an avid legion of fans."
If you're already familiar with 5 Sentidos, you'll no doubt want to add these gems to your shelf at home, and if you haven't discovered them yet, this pair is the perfect introduction to the top-tier craftsmanship that goes into all of Jason Cox's selections. | 
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