This is perhaps the most reserved and yet aromatically complex of all the Quiquiriqui Mezcals, with a bright and perfumed, almost floral intensity, followed by sweet metallic notes, and some lingering fruitiness in the background. The palate is bolder, with meaty cured charcuterie characters and buttery sweetness, ahead of an almost ferrous zing and delicate wood smoke. The texture is supremely silky and slippery, coating the tongue before sliding away and leaving a finish abounding with classic Mezcal minerality.

Mezcal de Pechuga is made when a finished Mezcal is re-distilled with local fruits, grains and nuts, and a raw piece of protein (typically a chicken) is hung over the still to cook in the vapours. Traditionally, this style of Mezcal is produced for special occasions and consumed locally, and there are as many different versions as there are distilleries. QQRQ’s version trades the poultry for a homemade vegetarian mole paste, made to a traditional family recipe. Crafted by Carlos Méndez at his palenque in Santiago Matatlán, this Pechuga uses the QQRQ Espadín agave as its base. Following the second distillation, the mole paste is added and the spirit is rested to infuse for two weeks before the final, third distillation.

Don’t be tricked into thinking this has any similarity to a Patron Café or Kahlua. This is unmistakably Mezcal, but here there is a beautiful balance between minerality and smoke, hints almost of oak-aged characters of chocolate and caramel, plus that fresh coffee citrus/sourness. After a deceptively dry nose, the palate its creamy and round, viscous, silky and sweet. There’s a great balance of bitterness on the finish so it doesn't cloy. Incredibly long, there are café nuances but they are very, very subtle, lending an almost woody/spicy profile rather than brash primary coffee flavours.