Cucharillo | March 2022 | Simitrio Aquino García | CHRSAQ2203 | Winter 2022 Release | 54 bottles

The Dasyilrion serratifolium plants known locally as Cucharillo have only recently entered the canon of plants used for distillation in Miahuatlán, Oaxaca. Regionally, its long and flexible leaves have been used since time immemorable in the making of decorations, such as the green and white woven arches crafted for weddings. This subspecies seemingly takes decades to mature and can reach nearly 10ft in height and grow to weigh upwards of 200lbs.  Palenqueros in Logoche began to experiment with the plant in 2016, and collectively, are producing only around 200L annually, making this one of the more rare and esoteric spirits found in the region.

Simitrio Aquino is descendant of one of the two most historically prominent palenquero families in the village of Logoche, with their participation in the craft going back to 1808. He has been experimenting with the occasional use of Cucharillo for a couple years, using plants that grow in certain white, rocky, and chalky parcels of family land, where these miahuateco Dasyilirion plants thrive. Often growing adjacent to Jabalín agaves and various spiny local hardwood trees, the Cucharillo plants are abundant within their areas of growth. However, these ecosystems are few and the plants are by no means common in the region. As such, their local use in the crafting of spirits is a fascinating reflection of the biodiversity and evolving traditions of Miahuatlán. Only 47L were made in this small March 2022 production, which has been selected by Puesto in San Diego as an exclusive batch. 54 bottles.

§  Maguey(es): Cucharillo (Dasylirion serratifolium)

§  Provenance of the maguey: wild, harvested on family land

§  Producer: Simitrio Aquino García

§  Region: Logoche, Miahuatlán

§  Date of production: April 2022

§  Soil type: white and rocky tierra blanca

§  Rest time after harvest: 12 days

§  Oven: Conical earthen oven; five days with mesquite wood

§  Rest time after oven: three days

§  Maceration: Machete and mechanical shredder

§  Fermentation: Native yeasts; one 1200L Montezuma cypress sabino wood vat

§  Dry fermentation time: 24 hours

§  Wet fermentation time: eight days

§  Distillation: 2x in copper pot stills

§  Final composition: heads, hearts, and high-proof tails

§  Batch size: 47L

§  ABV: 47.2%