Tequilana 2015 | Cándido García Cruz | Fall/Winter 2020 Release | TEQCAN1503 | 285 bottles

Available through Mezcal Brothers in France

This batch made by maestro palenquero Cándido García Cruz tells a story of the ever-evolving dynamics of production, experimentation, and the fluidity of tradition in the face of constant change. The Agave tequilana var. weber used in in this production come from stock that was originally acquired in the mid 1990’s through local mezcalero associations, in the context of increased contact with middle men and representatives of the Tequila industry on both a regional and nationwide level. Despite existing regulations around the use of agave from outside the territories established in the Denomination of Origin of Tequila, Oaxaca became a source of raw material in times of agave shortages, spurring the movement of clones to Oaxaca, where they could be grown cheaper and brought back to the industrial factories of Jalisco. While the majority of these crops were sold back to Jalisco, local producers kept some for themselves after quickly taking note of the sweet flavor of the cooked agave and the high yields of the starch-rich Blue Weber, referred to in Logoche as tequilana, tequilera, tequilero, or azul. Although the stewardship of local species and micro-endemic cultivars takes priority, farmers in Logoche continue to propagate small amounts of these “imported” agaves out of genuine curiosity and passion for growing and crafting them into spirits.

The particular plants used for this batch were from the first generation of Agave tequilana Weber var. azul to be reproduced and grown in the red soils of Candido’s tierra cascajo. Cándido crafted this lot in 2015, and won’t be producing any more spirits from Agave tequilana for another few years, making these 220 liters a real rarity.