Tequilana | June 2023 | Wilfrido García Sánchez | TEQWGS2306 | Winter 2023 release | 528 bottles
The Tequilana agave has been present in Miahuatlán for nearly 40 years, as a result of long-standing commercial relationships between Oaxaca and Tequila, Jalisco. Most of these agave have been sold back to middlemen and producers in Jalisco but quite a few palenqueros in Miahuatlán have used the maguey in their own local productions. The flavors of the distilled spirit are quite interesting and can serve as a wonderful teaching tool. The base is entirely Logoche in its profile, but the strength of the Tequilana agave flavors shine through in beautiful form. As such, these Tequilana batches can help clarify the very specific regional qualities of Logocheño terruño (terroir) through the more familiar and identifiable flavors of the agave.
On a stretch of red and black earth located between Logoche and Miahuatlán. Ramón and Wilfrido’s uncle, Eduardo, has been growing naturally fertilized and immaculately cared for agave for decades. Until the shutdowns that came with the pandemic of 2020, nearly all of these agaves were contractually bound for Jalisco, where his organically cultivated Tequilana plants made their way into anonymous Tequila productions. With this loss of business, their Tío Lalo began to offer up this maguey to his nephews, who in turn have begun to use it in the crafting of their spirits. Following the success of previous productions in the last couple of years, Wilfrido has continued to work with magueyes to consistently create an incredible spirit.
In the days following the full moon of January 2023, Wili harvested 145 piñas totally around 5,300kg for the crafting of this batch. After an extended fermentation that concluded after 18 days, the first found of distillation in two copper pot stills was finished on February 28. The shishe was left to rest for almost a month before the 1,650 liters were distilled a second time. The twice distilled liquid was left to rest until the first week of June when Wili made a careful composition of his different cuts of heads, hearts, and tails until he was satisfied with the appearance of a long lasting cordón cerrado and a total of 600L at 49% ABV.
§ Maguey(es): Tequilana (Agave tequilana var.)
§ Provenance of the maguey: Homegrown by Wili’s uncle Eduardo
§ Producer: Wilfrido García Sánchez
§ Region: Logoche, Miahuatlán
§ Soil type: Tierra roja and tierra colorada
§ Rest time after harvest: Twelve days
§ Oven: Conical earthen pit; six days with mesquite wood
§ Rest time after oven: Eight days
§ Maceration: Machete and shredder
§ Fermentation: Native yeasts, six 1200L capacity Montezuma cypress sabino wood vats
§ Dry fermentation time: 48-72 hours
§ Wet fermentation time: 14-15 days
§ Distillation: 2x in copper pot stills
§ Final composition: Heads, hearts, and tails
§ Batch size: 600L
§ Date of distillation: June 2023
§ ABV: 49%