Tres Tribus

Named for the three tribes that first settled the region, Tres Tribus is crafted by Maestro Mezcalero Juan Antonio Coronel in the remote mountains of the Mixteca region of Oaxaca, whose unique microclimate creates an unparalleled environment for making mezcal. A descendant of the Zapotec and Mixtec people, Coronel comes from a family that has passed down the secrets of mezcal for generations, celebrating the rich, complex flavors of agave by bringing forth their pure, authentic profiles.

Coronel’s palenque, built on his family’s land in San Francisco Nuxaño, is one of only two in the Mixteca region and the only one producing mezcal in the mountains. A trained chemical engineer, Coronel brings ancestral artistry and science together to create magnificent mezcal, beginning with cooking in an underground conical oven before mashing by hand with a wooden mallet. Using pristine mountain water from the nearby Tidaá volcano aquifer, the agave is fermented in underground amphoras, which helps regulate fluctuating mountain temperatures. After fermentation, the mash is double-distilled using a still designed and hand-built by Coronel from copper and local elements from the region. The highly efficient still refines the mezcal in a way that brings forth the vibrant fruit flavors of the agave and celebrates the traditional methods the Coronel family has perfected over generations.