Pulquero cenizo | April 2022 | Celso García Cruz | PLQCEL2204 | Spring 2024 release | 120 bottles

Maestro Celso García Cruz has been working with various local aguamiel-producing Pulquero agaves since 2016, and was one of the first in the region to distill these large, but low yielding magueyes. These different varieties of Agave americana var. oaxacensis have been cultivated for centuries, if not millennia, in the foothills and valleys of Miahuatlán as a prized source for aguamiel, pulque, and itxle, the traditional word for the fibers extracted from the leaves which has been used historically for weaving and rope production. Despite their massive size and ability to yield abundant amounts of aguamiel (which is harvested from a well that is created at the center of the piña, and then fermented to make pulque) these agaves have very few convertibles and require anywhere from 20-50 kilograms to produce just one liter of spirits.  

Combined with a maturation period that typically extends between 15 to 20 years and, there are practical reasons for the general exclusion of these agaves from the palenquero's production process. The waning popularity of pulque consumption since the industrialization of beer production in the 1950s has led to only a handful of magueyeros and palenqueros in Miahuatlán persevering in the cultivation of these invaluable plants. The aromas and flavors inherent to these spirits align with the characteristics typical of the local A. americana varieties, exhibiting pronounced minerality, robust fruity notes (predominantly banana), and a subtle creaminess. Interestingly, these Pulquero productions seem to share certain inherent flavor profiles with their pulque-producing counterparts in other regions of Mexico, most notably a distinct verdant quality reminiscent of green chili.

§  Maguey(es): Pulque Cenizo (Agave americana var. oaxacensis)

§  Provenance of the maguey: magueyero in neighboring Xitlapehua

§  Producer: Celso García Cruz

§  Region: Logoche, Miahuatlán

§  Soil type: red earth, tierra colorada

§  Rest time after harvest: six days

§  Oven: Conical earthen pit; eight days with mesquite and oak

§  Rest time after oven: five days

§  Maceration: Machete and shredder

§  Fermentation: Native yeasts and well water; three 1200L Montezuma cypress sabino wood tanks

§  Dry fermentation time: 48 hours

§  Wet fermentation time: six days

§  Distillation: 2x in copper pot stills

§  Final composition: Heads, hearts, and a splash of distilled water

§  Batch size: 105L

§  Date of distillation: April 2022