Tobalá, Tepextate, Jabalín | February 2023 | Aniceto García | ENNANI2302 | Summer 2023 release | 48 bottles | Mírate

ENNANI2302 | ENSAMBLE TOBALÁ + TEPEXTATE + JABALÍN | ANICETO GARCÍA | FEBRUARY 2023 | 48 BOTTLES

The heavy minerality, fruity, and balanced flavor profile that is typical in the region is accentuated in Aniceto’s work, which is conducted with great care and attention. The maestro makes a few “single varietal” batches a year, but primarily focuses on the production of various ensambles using a mix of the different cultivated and wild agaves that grow on the hills and ravines of this land outside of San Luis Amatlán. This field blend from Aniceto García was crafted with a mix of approximately 60% Tobalá, 35% Tepextate, and 5% Jabalín by weight. These agaves grow in the wild in the rugged hills above Aniceto’s ranch, sharing terrain among the limestone and chalky, white topsoil, populated by cacti, copal, and a diverse mix of other flora and fauna. Tio Cheto, as he known by friends, comes from a long tradition of distillation with these native agaves, and knows the tricks and nuances to working with them.

Aniceto follows a recipe for distillation using the same materials and techniques shown to him by his grandfather: a copper boiler pot and cap, fitted with a refrescadera cooling jacket. Unlike some other methods in the vicinity, Aniceto fills the refrescadera with cool water three times during each round of distillation, or postura. A select cut of high proof liquid from this first round, which he refers to as shishe macizo, is separated and used to lower the final alcohol content of the heads and hearts cuts later selected from the rectification in the second distillation. In preparing this 40-liter batch, Aniceto used about 1.5 liters of shishe macizo in the composition, adjusting and checking the results with a venencia and jicara until the maestro was satisfied with the appearance and duration of a cordon cerrado.

  • §  Maguey(es): Tobalá (A. potatorum x A. seemanniana), Tepextate (A. marmorata var.), Jabalín (A. convallis var.)

  • §  Provenance of the maguey: Wild maguey harvested on family land

  • §  Producer: Aniceto García

  • §  Region: Yegosé, Miahuatlán

  • §  Soil type: white and rocky limestone tierra blanca rocosa y cascajudo

  • §  Rest time after harvest: six days

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

  • §  Rest time after oven: six days

  • §  Maceration: Machete and wooden mazo

  • §  Fermentation: Native yeasts; one 500L Montezuma cypress sabino wood tank with appox.

    330kg of cooked agave and 80L of natural spring water

  • §  Dry fermentation time: 24 hours

  • §  Wet fermentation time: three days

  • §  Distillation: 2x in copper pot stills with a refrescadera

  • §  Final composition: Heads, hearts, and a select cut of shishe macizo

  • §  Batch size: 40L

  • §  Date of distillation: February 2023

  • §  ABV: 49.7%

MARIE NAKAZAWA