Ensamble Silvestre (Bicuixe + Jabalín) 2019 | Celso García Cruz | Summer 2020 Release | ENNCEL1905 | 120 Bottles
Notable is its profound aromas, textures, and flavors, this unconventional field blend marries the earthiness of Jabalín (Agave convallis var.) with the grounding cinnamon notes of Bicuixe (Agave karwinskii var.). Because of its high saponin content, Jabalín was not traditionally used in the production of mezcal, but instead valued for the fiber extracted from its leaves used in rope-making. Celso began experimenting with Jabalín a couple of years ago and has increasingly refined his technique to manage the large amount of foam produced in the fermentation that can boil over into the condensation chamber. For this production, he was able to tame the bubbly ferment with the addition of Bicuixe and the use of a costal bag in between the boiler pot and the condensation chamber to prevent the foam from rising. Distilled slowly over a low fire, the resulting spirit is a robust expression reflective of expertise of the maker and his tools, the wild agave, and the lands of its origin.
In crafting this 100 LT batch made of mature, wild maguey, Celso harvested approximately 300kg of Jabalín and 300kg of Bicuixe from his rocky and red cascajudo lands. After resting in the sun, the piñas were gathered and roasted for eight days, unearthed, and rested for an additional six days before maceration. After passing the pieces of perfectly cooked agave through a small mechanical shredder, the fibers were left to dry-ferment for 24 hours. Well water was added, and the mash fermented for eight days. After taking a high cut above 40% Alc. by Vol. to finish things off in the second round of distillation, a small amount of home-distilled water was added to make the final composition. Helping along nearly every step of the process was Felipa, his wife.