Madre Cuishe is an artisanal mezcal from Catedral Mezcal, produced in San Dionisio Ocotepec, in the Mexican state of Oaxaca. It is made from Madre Cuishe agave, which belongs to the species Agave karwinskii and takes 8–14 years to mature before harvesting.
The agaves are roasted in a stone oven using encino oak wood and river rocks, then crushed with a stone mill. Fermentation takes place in open vats made from sabino wood, followed by double distillation in copper stills. The mezcal has an alcohol content of 43% ABV.
Its profile combines a sweet vanilla aroma, spicy black pepper notes, and a citrus finish. Freshly cracked black pepper stands out on the mid-palate, while the finish brings a hint of pink grapefruit. It can be served neat in a small glass, allowing these aromatic nuances to unfold gradually as it is sipped.
Producer
Catedral Mezcal, also known as Catedral de mi Padre, is an artisanal mezcal brand founded by Jeff and his daughter Sydney Block, with business operations in California and production in Oaxaca, Mexico.
Jeff comes from a family that has farmed for five generations, and his and Sydney’s connection with Oaxaca began years before the brand was established, through time spent in the region and planting agave. Catedral was developed as a collaborative project with independent producers: its partnership model provides for the master mezcal makers to hold equity in the US brand, linked to their contributions to production.
The mezcals are produced in several family distilleries in Santiago Matatlán, San Dionisio Ocotepec, and Zimatlán de Álvarez. The agaves are harvested by hand, roasted in ovens using wood and stone, crushed with a stone wheel known as a tahona, fermented in wooden vats, and double-distilled in copper stills. The wood, water sources, and fermentation vessels vary between producers, contributing to each mezcal’s distinctive character.
The range includes Espadín, Mexicano, Tobalá, and Madre Cuishe, alongside two ensamble expressions: Cuishe + Espadín and Mexicano + Espadín. A distinctive packaging feature is a handcrafted leather sleeve shaped like a cowboy boot, whose design identifies the different expressions and connects the brand’s identity with its founders’ agricultural heritage.