Coyote + Tepextate + Jabalín | January 2024 | Manuel Aquino García | ENNMAQ2401B | Fall 2024 release | 48 bottles | Alchemist + Bar Sótano

In December 2023, Manuel Aquino and his wife, Nacha, harvest and roasted nearly eight tons of different species and varieties of agaves that were separated and crafted into a multitude of different batches, according to the parcels from which they were collected, or with the intention of exploring new flavor combinations. In this instance, the inclusion of three different species of agave that were cohabitating a red and rocky, tierra cascajuda parcel in nearby San Luis Amatlán, provides a fascinating glimpse into a very specific time and place. While the use of the Jabalín agave (A. convallis var.) is an extremely recent phenomenon, the co-roasting and co-fermentation of different types of fully ripe agave is an extremely old practice.

To acquire a touch of flavor and aroma of Jabalín and all together avoid the excessive foaming that plagues the plant’s fermentation and distillation, Manuel opted to include just two piñas, around fifty kilos, to the mix. Approximately 400kg split between ten piñas of Coyote and seven Tepextate composed the bulk of the mash, which required a 48-hour dry fermentation period. Six days later, the two began to distill. Collecting his refined liquid into multiple 20-liter containers, the maestro composed a careful blend of heads and hearts until satisfied with aromas, flavors, and the presence of a beautiful cordón cerrado of large and long-lasting bubbles that happens to correspond with 52.9% ALC. This unique 48 bottle batch was selected by our friends at Alchemist and Bar Sótano in Illinois.

  •        Maguey(es): Coyote (Agave sp.), Tepextate (A. marmorata var.), Jabalín (A. convallis var.)

  •        Provenance of the maguey: Wild agave from San Luis Amatlán

  •        Producer: Manuel Aquino García

  •        Region: Logoche, Miahuatlán

  •        Soil type: Red and rocky (tierra colorada cascajuda)

  •        Rest time after harvest: 5 days

  •        Oven: Conical earthen pit, 7 days with mesquite wood

  •        Rest time after oven: 6 days

  •        Maceration: Machete and mechanical shredder

  •        Fermentation: Native yeasts, in food-grade plastic tanks; 48 hours dry, 6 days wet

  •        Distillation: Twice in copper pot stills

  •        Final composition: Heads, hearts, and tails

  •        Batch size: 40 liters

  •        Date of distillation: April 2024

  •        ABV: 52.9%

MARIE NAKAZAWA