Espadín capón | October 2022 | Tomás García Cruz | ESPTGC2210 | 576 bottles
Though the variety of Agave angustifolia commonly known as Espadín is now widespread in Oaxaca, it may not actually be native to the region. Some claim that Espadín began to appear in Oaxaca as early as the 1930’s, but most references date its arrival several decades later when government programs and Matatlán-based business interests began to promote its cultivation. Because Espadín is generally a high yielding agave, reproduces easily, and matures quickly, it is prized as a cash crop and is planted widely throughout the state. However, a spirit made from this agave should not be overlooked just because of the ubiquity of its raw material. In fact, precisely for this reason, Espadín serves as an excellent lens for understanding the different terrains and production methods of Oaxaca.
In April 2022, Don Tomás “castrated” the burgeoning flowering stalks from sixty maturing Espadín agaves of approximately eight years of agave, redirecting the reproductive energies and sugars of the plant into its meaty core, colloquially known as a piña, considering its pineapple-like appearance. Depending on the species, the now capón agave is left in the field for anywhere from three months to three years before the plant is finally harvest and removed from the ground. This hallmark practice of traditional agave spirits production can result in a bigger yield of the distilled spirit, but importantly, also allows for the creation of more complex aromas and flavors.
Always monitoring his crops, the maestro made the decision to harvest these select sixty plants in September of that same year, fearing that the extreme drought would dry out his plants, or make them particularly susceptible to undesired bug infestations if he were to wait any longer. Along with his sons, Nicolás, Juan, and Eliazar, Don Tomás is now often joined in the fields and at the Palenque by his eldest grandson, Miguel, and their long standing trusted mozo, Faustino. Using 3,200kg of Espadín and copper pot stills, the family crafted a total of 425 liters from this single production.
§ Maguey(es): (Agave angustifolia var.)
§ Provenance of the maguey: homegrown, La Mina parcel
§ Producer: Tomás García Cruz and sons
§ Region: Logoche, Miahuatlán
§ Date of production: October 2022
§ Soil type: red and rocky tierra colorada
§ Rest time after harvest: six days
§ Oven: Conical earthen oven; five days with mesquite and oak
§ Rest time after oven: 5 days
§ Maceration: Machete and mechanical shredder
§ Fermentation: Native yeasts; five 1200L Montezuma cypress sabino wood vats, each with roughly 600kg of cooked agave and 400 liters of well water
§ Dry fermentation time: 48 hours
§ Wet fermentation time: eight-nine days
§ Distillation: 2x in copper pot stills
§ Final composition: heads, hearts, and high-proof tails
§ Batch size: 425L
§ ABV: 47.5%