Mezcalosfera, Espadin Mezcal Distilled with Mango and Habanero

Yes, there is habanero in here. No, it will not wreck you. Mezcalosfera is the bottling project of Oaxaca's Mezcaloteca, and the whole point is radical transparency: the agave, the maestro, the still, all on the label, no romantic fog. This one takes an espadin and runs it again with mango and habanero in the pot, a nod to the old destilado con tradition where whatever is ripe and local goes into the still. The fruit reads as perfume more than sweetness, and the chile arrives late, a warm prickle rather than a burn, sitting underneath the smoke. Drink it neat at room temperature in a copita and take small sips. It will also make a cocktail misbehave in the most useful way.