We met Fortunato on our first ever trip to his community, San Balthazar Chichicapam, back in 2016. We didn’t know at the time how lucky we were.
In the years since, not only has it been a great pleasure to return many times to visit the welcoming family, but his bottles have become crowd favourites every time we show them at a tasting.
Fortunato’s mezcales are produced in the traditional style of the community: Agaves are roasted in an un-lined earthen pit filled with local wood including mesquite; The roasted maguey are then chopped to size by machete before being milled with horse drawn tahona; the mash is fermented with well water before ultimately being double distilled in coper alembique stills.
First roast at the new palenque
This was one of the very first batches to be produced at Fortunato’s newly build palenque, meaning these plants were the first to be crushed by the shiny white stone tahona.
The roasted and maguey Tobala were then left to naturally ferment for 4 days in brand open air tinas sitting behind Fortunato in the picture below. The fermented mash was then double distilled in the brand new coper alembics.
First use of shiny new tahona
Below you can see the same tahona as above, a little worn in with a roof above and stills operating in the background. As well as fresh cut maguey madrecuixe, cuixe, and tobala delivered to the palenque.
It’s a true family business, with Fortunato’s wife Victoria often involved with production. His daughter Estela manages sales from the bodega, and even her young daughters get involved while not at school. Look out for a future batch from Estela’s husband Pedro.
World map with pins of visitor home countries in the bodega, and Estela in the bodega.
The new palenque now looking well worked.
Gracias Fortunato & Family
House tasting notes:
Nose: Mineral, herbal, rich. Medium on the smoke scale. A field of coriander and spring onion after a rain shower.
Palate: That rich minimality from the nose follows through beautifully on first sip. Fresh picked mushrooms come through on the mid-palate with a light and pleasant background smoke from the mesquite wood roast.
Finish: This really well balanced batch continues it’s consistency, with the rich smokiness slowly fading into semi-dry and moreish finish.
This batch has been bottled exclusive for Luum, London.
For a copita, head to the bar.
Continue your agave spirits journey via the Mezcal Appreciation Society:
