Bicuixe, Jabalín, Espadín | October 2024 | Juan García Vásquez | 54 bottles | Fall 2025 release | Viridian
ENSJGV2410 | BICUIXE, JABALÍN, ESPADÍN | JUAN GARCÍA VÁSQUEZ | OCTOBER 2024 | 49.8% ALC | 54 BOTTLES | VIRIDIAN
Logoche—and Miahuatlán more broadly—is home to an exceptional diversity of agave species, subspecies, and heirloom cultivars that have long been used not only for fermentation and distillation but also for fiber, food, and construction materials. Given this abundance, palenqueros have traditionally mixed and matched the most mature and accessible agaves to create their batches. This method encourages greater complexity in aroma and flavor while helping reduce pressure on both cultivated and wild plant populations. Today in Logoche, these co-fermented field blends are often called ensambles—a relatively recent term used to distinguish them from single-varietal productions.
This Autumn 2024 production by Juan García Vásquez—son of the legendary palenquero Don Tomás—was crafted during a season marked by low temperatures and healthy rainfall. From his family's shared La Loma parcel, Juan harvested 10 capón piñas of wild Bicuixe, a mix of 20 en guía and capón Jabalín, and one large capón Espadín. All agaves, totaling approximately 500 kg, were collected from a single stretch of rocky, red tierra colorada. After careful processing over four weeks, the result was a spectacular 45 liters, showing the enticing aromas of the region and a beautiful cordón cerrado, corresponding to 49.8% ABV. Selected as a private pick, this ensamble was bottled in its entirety for Viridian, in Oakland, CA.
§ Maguey(es): Bicuixe (A. karwinskii var.), Jabalín (A. convallis var.), Espadín (A. angustifolia var.)
§ Provenance of the maguey: Wild maguey harvested from the La Loma parcel
§ Producer: Juan García Vásquez
§ Region: Logoche, Miahuatlán
§ Soil type: Rocky, red tierra colorada
§ Rest time after harvest: four days
§ Oven: Conical earthen pit; seven days with mesquite wood
§ Rest time after oven: Four days
§ Maceration: Tractor-drawn stone mill
§ Fermentation: Native yeasts; one 1200L Montezuma cypress sabino wood tank
§ Dry fermentation time: 48 hours
§ Wet fermentation time: Eight days
§ Distillation: 2x in copper pot stills
§ Final composition: Heads, hearts, and tails
§ Batch size: 45L
§ Date of distillation: October 2024
§ ABV: 49.8%