Tepextate | April 2023 | Daniel Cruz Maldonado | TPXDCZ2304 | Winter 2023 release | 114 bottles | Chambers & Chambers

Having worked for decades in the palenques of don Nicolás and his compadre, Cutberto Aquino, this 90-liter pure Tepextate production was the first batch that maestro Daniel Cruz Maldonado made in his own newly constructed palenque, adjacent to the family’s home in Logoche, Miahuatlán. Approximately 4000kg of ripe Tepextate was harvested from rocky red and purple soil parcel of family land in neighboring Lachigüizo during the days surrounding the full moon of January 2023. Cut from steep slopes and ravines, about 10cm of the base of the leaf, or penca, was left attached the piñas to allow them to be rolled downhill without being bruised or splitting into pieces. The penca holds extra pectin and water, but also quite a bit of sugar that can still be fermented and distilled; its inclusion provides a stronger bouquet and a more profound and complex flavor profile on the palate.

Following an eight-day roasting process utilizing mesquite wood within an earthen oven, Daniel proceeded to employ a distinct recipe passed down from his father. This recipe, particularly tailored for what they colloquially term “Tepextate loco,” involves brief resting intervals and yields remarkably swift fermentation times. After allowing the cooked agave to cool for a span of 24 hours, it was meticulously chopped using machetes and subsequently crushed using an ox-drawn stone mill. The resulting mixture of fibers and juices was collected and placed into three food-grade plastic tubs, allowing it to rest for approximately 12 to 15 hours before the addition of well water. When prepared in this manner, Daniel notes that Tepextate exhibits a "hot" fermentation due to its vigorous yeasts, necessitating an early removal for distillation. An estimated 550 liters of well water were incorporated, and the mash was left to ferment for a mere 24 hours before the first batch was deemed ready for the next stage.

With the assistance of his wife, Luisa, the mash was distilled in a 250-liter copper pot still. After meticulous distillation, Daniel blended select cuts of heads, hearts, and tails to achieve the desired composition, resulting in the creation of a cordón cerrado. This truly exceptional release consists of 114 bottles, a testament to the uniqueness of this process.

  • § Maguey(es): Tepextate

  • § Provenance of the maguey: wild harvested from family land

  • § Producer: Daniel Cruz Maldonado

  • § Region: Logoche, Miahuatlán

  • § Soil type: rocky red and purple earth, tierra colorada y morada § Rest time after harvest: Six days

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

  • § Rest time after oven: 24 hours

  • § Maceration: Ox-drawn stone mill

  • §  Fermentation: Native yeasts and well water; four 1100L food grade plastic tubs, each with approx. 550kg of cooked agave and 550 liters of well water

  • §  Dry fermentation time: 12 hours

  • §  Wet fermentation time: 24 hours

  • §  Distillation: 2x in a copper pot still

  • §  Final composition: Heads, hearts, and a select cut of high proof tails

  • §  Batch size: 90

  • §  Date of distillation: April 2023

  • §  ABV: 48.4%

MARIE NAKAZAWA