Alipús San Miguel is one of the more distinctive expressions in the Alipús range, produced in Sola de Vega, Oaxaca, where traditional clay pot distillation remains an important part of the local mezcal-making culture.
Made from an ensamble of approximately 80% Espadín and 20% semi-wild Arroqueño agave, the plants are grown in the steep, iron-rich soils surrounding San Miguel Sola de Vega. The combination is important: Espadín provides ripe agave sweetness and fruit, while the larger, slower-maturing Arroqueño brings additional depth, earthiness and structure.
What really sets San Miguel apart is the production method. After roasting, the cooked agave is crushed by hand using wooden mallets in a canoa, rather than relying on a conventional tahona. It is then naturally fermented in wooden vats before undergoing double distillation in small clay pot stills – ollas de barro. This traditional Sola de Vega technique contributes a particularly earthy, mineral and textural character to the finished mezcal.
The result is a serious, characterful mezcal: smoky without being dominated by smoke, with roasted agave, herbs, fruit, cocoa, coffee and cracked pepper wrapped around an unmistakably earthy mineral core. This is exactly the sort of bottle that demonstrates just how much production method and place can influence mezcal.
Tasting Notes
Colour: Crystal clear.
Nose: Roasted agave, dried herbs and ripe fruit with caramel, subtle smoke and an earthy mineral character.
Palate: Full-bodied and expressive. Cooked agave and caramel lead into dark chocolate, roasted coffee, dried herbs and fruit, followed by cracked black pepper and citrus. The clay-pot distillation contributes a distinctive earthy, almost savoury depth.
Finish: Long, warming and persistent, with roasted agave, cocoa, pepper, minerals and lingering earthy smoke.
Technical Details
Producer: Alipús Origin: San Miguel Sola de Vega, Oaxaca, Mexico Classification: Mezcal Agave: Approx. 80% Espadín & 20% Arroqueño Cooking: Stone-lined earth pit Milling: Hand-crushed with wooden mallets in a canoa Fermentation: Wooden vats, using natural fermentation Distillation: Double distilled in clay pot stills (ollas de barro) ABV: 48,5% Bottle Size: 750ml
What Makes It Special
The barro distillation is the star here. Clay pots are smaller and more fragile than conventional copper stills, making production considerably more labour intensive and limiting the amount of mezcal that can be produced at a time. Combined with hand crushing and the Espadín/Arroqueño ensamble, it gives San Miguel a profile quite different from the cleaner, fruitier Alipús expressions.
For someone already exploring serious mezcal, this is one of the more interesting bottles in the Alipús range, traditional, wonderfully characterful and a very good example of the ancestral style production associated with Sola de Vega.
Delivery within South Africa:
All orders are delivered from our central warehouse located in Montague Gardens, Western Cape. Local orders are usually delivered in 0-2 working days. Orders outside of Cape Town but within SA are generally delivered within 2-5 working days. If you require expedited delivery, we now offer an Express delivery service, which typically takes 1-3 working days, depending on your area.
While we strive for timely deliveries, there are occasional instances where delays may occur. These are rare but can happen due to unforeseen circumstances.
Delivery Rates:
At checkout, you will be presented with delivery options and corresponding rates. These rates are provided directly by our courier partners and are displayed as is. On rare occasions, a courier may generate an incorrect delivery rate due to issues with the address recognition. In such cases, we will arrange for an alternative courier to deliver your order at a similar rate to the original cost.
We believe in offering transparency in our delivery fees and, as such, do not include any delivery costs in our product pricing. We do not profit from delivery fees.
Third-Party Couriers:
For the majority of our orders, we rely on third-party courier services for delivery. Regular notifications will be sent and on the day of delivery the couriers will notify you via sms, call or email . If the courier is unable to reach you, we will get in touch with you to arrange an alternative solution.
Please note, you will be required to sign upon delivery, and the drivers may request a form of identification.
If there is something wrong with your product, we will gladly issue a full refund of 100% of your purchase amount. To process this, please reach out to us at info@mothercityliquor.co.za as soon as possible, and we will guide you through the refund process.
Order Cancellations: If you need to cancel your order, simply email us at info@mothercityliquor.co.za, and we’ll assist you with the cancellation process. Please note, cancellations will incur a small fee of 10%, which covers the transaction fees we incur for processing each order. If your order has already been shipped, please be aware that the shipping fee is non-refundable.
Consignment Orders:
We do not offer consignment stock or consignment deals.
Returns:
If you find that there is an issue with your product, you are eligible to return it to us. Here’s how you can initiate the return:
Email us at info@mothercityliquor.co.za to notify us of your intent to return the product. We will then guide you through the process.
Our returns policy is valid for 7 working days from the date of delivery. Unfortunately, if 7 working days have passed since the delivery of your purchase, we cannot offer a refund or exchange.
To be eligible for a return, the item must be unused and in the same condition as when you received it. It must also be in its original packaging. A 10% Fee will be charged on returns, unless the product was damaged or incorrectly supplied by Mothercity Liquor.
Return Shipping & Delivery Fees
Please note that original shipping or delivery fees are non-refundable. Where a refund is approved, the refund will apply to the eligible returned product(s) only and will exclude any shipping or delivery charges paid on the original order.
Unless the return is due to an incorrect, damaged, or defective product supplied by Mothercity Liquor, the cost of returning the product(s) to us is the responsibility of the customer. Customers are responsible for arranging and paying for return shipping and for ensuring that the products are securely packaged to prevent damage in transit.
We strongly recommend using a trackable and insured courier service when returning products. Mothercity Liquor cannot be held responsible for returned goods that are lost or damaged while in transit to us.
Where Mothercity Liquor supplied an incorrect, damaged, or defective product, we will arrange or cover the reasonable cost of returning the affected product, subject to the terms of our Returns Policy.
Exceptions to Returns:
Sale or Special Offer Items: Only regular-priced items are eligible for a refund. Unfortunately, items purchased on sale or as part of a special offer cannot be refunded.
Subscription Terms & Conditions:
By purchasing a Subscription, you agree to recurring automatic payments based on your selected delivery frequency (monthly, every 2 months or every 3 months etc).
Your subscription will automatically renew and your payment method will be charged on the same calendar day as your original purchase until your subscription is cancelled.
Minimum Commitment: Subscription pricing includes a discounted rate and therefore requires a minimum commitment of two (2) deliveries. Cancellation requests will only be accepted after your second subscription box has been successfully delivered.
Cancellation requests must be submitted before your next billing date. If your payment has already been processed, that month's subscription will still be fulfilled and dispatched.
Subscription payments are non-refundable once they have been successfully processed, except where required by applicable South African consumer protection laws.
In the event that a product becomes unavailable, Mothercity Liquor reserves the right to substitute it with a product of equal or greater value.
Customers must be 18 years or older to purchase or receive alcoholic products.
