Madrecuixe capón | May 2022 | Hermógenes Vásquez García | MDXHMG2205 | Winter 2022 Release | 246 bottles

In April 2022, Hermógenes and his son Jorge cut 84 capón Madrecuixe agaves that were sold to them by a farmer in the neighboring village of Tecolote. Despite having been planted in a red and rocky tierra colorada that the micro-endemic Madrecuixe thrives in, neglect and a lack of upkeep of the parcel stunted the growth and extended the maturation time of many of the agaves that were harvested. In such instances, the plants can still be rich in concentrated sugars despite being much smaller and slower to mature than their well-maintained counterparts. In the heat of May, the 1400kg of cooked agave was shredded and fermented over the course of eight days before being distilled twice in copper pots. Composed with the común, a particular high proof cut of the tails, Hermógenes yielded right around 200L.

This batch has been selected by NETA for its archetypical characteristics reflecting the qualities of the Madrecuixe, the lands of eastern Miahuatlán, and the knowledge and master craftsmanship of Hermógenes and family. In partnership with PM Spirits, 246 bottles have been made available to the United States.

§  Maguey(es): Madrecuixe capón (Agave karwinskii var.)

§  Provenance of the maguey: Cultivated in neighboring El Tecolote

§  Producer: Hermógenes Vásquez García

§  Region: Logoche, Miahuatlán

§  Date of production: May 2022

§  Soil type: Red and rocky tierra colorada

§  Rest time after harvest: 15 days

§  Oven: Conical earthen oven; six days with oak mesquite wood

§  Rest time after oven: five days

§  Maceration: Machete and mechanical shredder

§  Fermentation: Native yeasts; two 1200L Montezuma cypress sabino wood vats

§  Dry fermentation time: 24 hour

§  Wet fermentation time: seven days

§  Distillation: 2x in copper pot stills

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

§  Batch size: 200L

§  ABV: 47%