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An authentic and artisanal process crafted by dedicated hands
A field of Espadin agave heads
A field of agave Espadin heads and leaves (pencas) in the central valleys of the state of Oaxaca.
"Jima"
Once the agave has reached maturity (between 7 and 10 years), the producer begins cutting the agave leaves, called “pencas,” in a process known as “jima.” Only the heads are cooked, as they contain most of the substances that will be converted into
fermentable sugars.
fermentable sugars.
Early morning…
Early in the morning, a young man carrying a “jima” cutting tool.
Preparing the Conical Earthen Oven
Bagazo, which is dried agave fiber, is used to cover the hot stone to prevent the agave from burning. The cooking process takes between 3 and 4 days.
Cooking Agave Heads
They heat river stones with local wood until they reach the ideal temperature of 800 °C.
A piece of cooked agave
Once the cooking is complete (saccharification is finished), the fermentable sugars are available. If you taste this piece, it would have a flavor that is both sweet and tangy.
Milling
Grinding the cooked heads using a stone mill called a “tahona” and the pulling power of a horse to extract most of the sugars contained in the fibers.
Fermentation
The crushed material is fermented in oak vats. No additives or chemicals are used. It is natural chemistry that converts the sugars into alcohol.
The Must
Fermentation in oak vats for 7 to 15 days
Distillation
Copper stills are used to distill the must. This is where the various components: water, alcohol, and volatile compounds are separated. Condensation yields this prized spirit.
Mezcal
Two distillations are carried out:
The first, called “Puntas,” contains little alcohol and has virtually no taste.
The second, called “Cuerpo” or mezcal, contains much more alcohol, aromas, and flavors.
The first, called “Puntas,” contains little alcohol and has virtually no taste.
The second, called “Cuerpo” or mezcal, contains much more alcohol, aromas, and flavors.
The Maestro's Touch
When the final fraction of the distillation, the “colas” is complete, the maestro or maestra blends the “puntas,” the “cuerpo,” and the “colas” to adjust the alcohol content and give this spirit its identity, which offers a whole range of flavors and aromas to discover an identity rooted in their community and their own expertise.
Veneciado & Perlado
“Perlas,” or pearls, are the bubbles that form on the surface of the alcohol. The maestro mezcalero sips the mezcal through a reed, as if it were a straw, and pours it into a jícara. He observes the size, duration, and uniformity of the perlas or bubbles to determine the alcohol (ethanol) content and adjust it: Veneciado.
Jícara de bule
One of the most common vessels for drinking mezcal is called a “jícara de bule” or “guaje.” The guaje is a tree found in Oaxaca that produces hollow fruit of various sizes. It is used in many ways, including as the perfect vessel for drinking mezcal!
Mezcal is complex.
It is chemistry, it is a sensory experience, it is community, it is culture; it is vast and, at the same time, unique.
A little burn and intensity in the first sip are well worth it: we release serotonin as we discover, learn, and connect with this Mexican spirit.
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