Cucharillo + Cuixe Verde | May 2021 | Hermanos García Vásquez | ENNHGV2105 | Summer 2023 release | 114 bottles | The Austin Shaker
ENNHGV2105 | CUCHARILLO + CUIXE VERDE | HERMANOS GARCÍA VÁSQUEZ | MAY 2021
Sons of don Tomás García Cruz, the brothers Nico, Juan, and Eleazar made this ensamble with nearly equal parts by weight of two unique and micro-endemic magueyes. The large and evergreen Cuixe Verde is one of the most prized cultivars in and around San Luis Amatlán, while the non-agave Cucharillo has been identified as Dasylirion serratifolium, a southern cousin to the Sotol plant of northern Mexico. This plant grows only in particular micro-climates around San Luis Amatlán and prefers a chalky white and limestone terrain. Its leaves have traditionally been used for ornamental weaving, creating decorative pieces and large arches used in weddings, but only in the last decade or so has been used for spirits.
This combination was novel to the García Vásquez brothers and was likewise one that we had never seen before. The flavors and aromas invoke the arid landscape and white, rocky terrain of San Luis Amatlán and the minerality of its water. Adjusting with heads, hearts, and high-proof tails, the three hermanos composed a total of 90L at 45.9% ABV.
§ Maguey(es): Cucharillo (Dasylirion serratifolium) + Cuixe Verde (Agave karwinskii var.)
§ Provenance of the maguey: Homegrown and wild harvested
§ Producer: Nicolás, Juan, & Eleazar García Vásquez
§ Region: Logoche, Miahuatlán
§ Soil type: Rocky and white tierra cascajudo blanco
§ Rest time after harvest: six days
§ Oven: Conical earthen pit; six days with mesquite
§ Rest time after oven: five days
§ Maceration: Machete and shredder
§ Fermentation: Native yeasts and well water; one 1200L Montezuma cypress sabino wood tank
§ Dry fermentation time: 48 hours
§ Wet fermentation time: seven days
§ Distillation: 2x in copper pot stills
§ Final composition: Heads, hearts, and tails
§ Batch size: 90L
§ Date of distillation: May 2021
§ ABV: 45.9% ABV