Espadín + Quiote | Ramón and Wilfrido García Sánchez | March 2026 | QUITRS2603 | 51.8% ALC | 60 Bottles | Illinois/BC Merc

This small batch was crafted by brothers Ramón and Wilfrido García Sánchez in Logoche, San Luis Amatlán, Miahuatlán, in March 2026. Combining the piña with the quiote, or flowering stalk, the brothers explored a production method that is still uncommon in Logoche. While roasted quiote has long played a role in local gastronomy, only recently has it begun finding its way into the earthen ovens, fermentation vats, and copper pot stills of the region.

In February 2026, Ramón and Wilfrido returned to their grandmother's ranch in neighboring Lachigüizo to capar, or castrate, the flowering stalks of their mature Espadín plants. They collected approximately one ton of freshly cut quiotes and brought them back to the family palenque along with enough capón Espadín to fill a 7,000 kg earthen oven.

Roasting piñas presents its own challenges, but incorporating quiotes requires even greater precision, as the flowering stalks cook much more quickly than the agave hearts. The brothers readily admit they underestimated the heat of the oven, leaving most of the quiotes charred beyond redemption. The roughly 50 surviving stalks, weighing approximately 250 kg, were separated and processed together with four carefully selected Espadín piñas weighing an additional 150 kg. The combined material was shredded, fermented with well water in a single Montezuma cypress (sabino) tank, and distilled seven days later, once the aromas and flavors of the mash indicated fermentation had reached its peak.

After adjusting with select cuts of heads, hearts, and tails, Ramón and Wilfrido composed 50 L at 51.8% ABV, guided by the aromas, flavors, and a robust cordón cerrado. The resulting yield reflects not only the fermentable sugar contained in both the Espadín piñas and flowering stalks, but also the success of a production that nearly failed before it began.

Dubbed the "Maki Batch" in honor of the beloved Tres Carnales palenque dog, this release comprises just 60 bottles. Selected by our friends at BC Merchants during a visit to Logoche in April 2026, it has been bottled as a limited release for Illinois.

·       Maguey(es): Espadín (Agave angustifolia var.)

·       Provenance of the maguey: Lachigüizo, San Luis Amatlán

·       Producer: Ramón and Wilfrido García Sánchez

·       Region: Logoche, San Luis Amatlán, Miahuatlán

·       Soil type: White, rocky tierra blanca

·       Rest time after harvest: Six days

·       Oven: Conical earthen oven; roasted for seven days with mesquite wood

·       Rest time after roasting: Five days

·       Maceration: Machete and shredder

·       Fermentation: Native yeasts; one 1,200 L Montezuma cypress (sabino) tank containing approximately 400 kg of cooked maguey and 300 L of well water

·       Dry fermentation: 24 hours

·       Wet fermentation: Six days

·       Distillation: Twice distilled in a copper pot still

·       Final composition: Heads, hearts, and tails

·       Batch size: 50 L

·       Date of distillation: March 2026

·       ABV: 51.8%