Ensamble Madrecuixe, Bicuixe, Espadín | March 2021 | Manuel Aquino | ENSMAQ2103 | Summer 2022 Release | 222 Bottles

Manuel used a combination of guía and quiotudo agaves to craft this phenomenal representation of a modern classic ensamble, or field blend, made with agave from Logoche. The inclusion of both wild and cultivated agave into the same oven and fermentation vat is a long-standing tradition and reflects not just the flavors and aromas of the area, but also the land management practices employed by farmers and palenqueros in the area around San Luis Amatlán. As with nearly all of his productions, Manuel processed this batch alongside his wife, Nacha.

  • §  Maguey(es): Madrecuixe, Bicuixe, Espadin (equal parts)

  • §  Provenance of the maguey: Homegrown Espadín and Madrecuixe and wild

    harvested Bicuixe.

  • §  Producer: Manuel Aquino García

  • §  Region: Logoche, Miahuatlán, Oaxaca

  • §  Soil type: red earth tierra colorada

  • §  Rest time after harvest: seven days

  • §  Oven: Conical earthen pit; eight days with mesquite wood

  • §  Rest time after oven: five days

  • §  Maceration: Machete and shredder

  • §  Fermentation: Native yeasts, plastic tub

  • §  Dry fermentation time: two days

  • §  Wet fermentation time: 12 days

  • §  Distillation: 2x in copper pot stills

  • §  Final composition: Heads, hearts, and tails

  • §  Batch size: 170L

  • §  Date of distillation: March 2021

  • §  ABV: 47.1%

MARIE NAKAZAWA