Selva Negra Spirits, based in Germany, has created the first agave based spirit in the Black Forest

Selva Negra Spirits, based in Germany, has created the “first” agave-based liquor made in the Black Forest.

Selva Negra is a spirit made by hand from 100% Salmiana agave. Sebastian Dresel and Laurin Lehmann started the company, and distiller Florian Faude makes the spirit.

The distillate was intended to “bridge the gap” between Tequila and Mezcal, providing an appealing taste with a mild smoke.

The company imports organic extract of the Salmiana agave from Mexico into Germany, which has a gently floral and sweet taste. The extract contains all of the minerals and the whole character of the plant, while also allowing the enterprise to reduce its carbon footprint throughout the manufacturing process.

The extract is claimed to be’extremely expensive, very powerful, and very rare’.

Faude makes the spirit with a wine yeast that ferments the Salmiana extract into agave wine. The wine is then distilled and infused with smoke from the nearby Black Forest spruce before being distilled again.

After that, the agave spirit is bottled at 46% ABV.

Aromas of aromatic fragrances and mint mingle with a strong hint of spruce on the palate, which is accented by light smoke.

All other components in the manufacturing process are sourced as close to Germany as feasible, with bottles coming from Italy and labels from Nürtingen in southern Germany.

The producer remarked that while this costs a lot more, it allows it to ‘behave as responsibly as possible’.

The agave alcohol is suggested as a foundation for traditional cocktails like the Paloma or Negroni.

Selva Negra translates to “black forest” in Spanish.

Haromex distributes the spirit, which is now exclusively accessible in Germany. According to the company, it is actively working on providing global shipping.

It has an RRP of €69.99 (US$76.34) and is available for purchase through the producer’s website.