Having bottled a number of expressions from this palenque over the last few years, and visited the family many times, it’s an honour to showcase this batch that represents a true family effort.
While Sergio and his son Luis take care of production in the palenque, Sara (wife and mother respectively) has become well known as an excellent cook of traditional local cuisine.
In fact she is now regularly invited to represent the Ejutla region at Oaxaca City’s relatively new Centro Gastronómico.
Mole Negro is the ultimate celebratory dish of Oaxaca - kind of an intense chicken curry make with a huge number of herbs and spices, normally unique to a family lineage. Mole negro always includes Cacao (chocolate), giving it’s unique dark colour.
Sara’s family recipe mole negro is the star of the show in this batch, with 10kg of it having been added to the still on second distillation:
Before that stage, ripe agave Espadín (A.Angustifolia) were harvested from the hills of Ejutla by Luis and Sergio.
The piñas were roasted the small un-lined horns for 3 days, before being crushed by the palenque’s huge thona, pulled by two oxen.
The cooked and crushed agave was then put in both wooden and plastic tinas along with local spring water for an open air ferment of 8-9 days.
Espadín, Madrecuishe, and Mexicano in the oven
Fermenting vats
Luis & Sergio preparing the mill
Bulls pulling tahona
Then, of course, it’s time for the all important 2-in-1 distillation.
The style of distillation here differs in a crucial way to the rest of Oaxaca’s central valleys. Most communities in these valleys double distil using coper alembics (with a couple of exceptions, most notably the famous clay pot distillation of Santa Catarina Minas). However in San Agustín Amatengo and most of Ejutla, producers create a 2-in-1 distillation using a ‘refrescadera’ method.
Luis & father Sergio fitting the refrescadera
This smart distillation set-up has a reflux plate installed inside the otherwise regular domed copper top chamber of the still. That dome also has an outer casing that’s filled with water during distillation, keeping it cooler.
When the rising vapours hit that relatively cool internal plate, they re-condense and drop back into the still to vaporise again before escaping into the cooling coil.
This reflux action means the liquid that runs off the still has effectively been double distilled - referred to locally as a 2-in-1 distillation.
Knowing when to refresh (refrecador) the liquid in the water bath is key to the process working properly.
Looking up into the cooling chamber and its plate
Filling the refrescadra
Gracias Sergio, Sara, y Luis
Tasting notes: The refrescadera style in San Agustín Amatengo generally leads itself to relatively clean and smoke-free spirits, with a richness that betrays the condensing action of the still.
Of course there’s an overriding flavour in this particular batch, and it’s the deliciously rich and complex secret recipe of Sara’s traditional mole negro. Being an Espadín base there’s plenty of sweeteness to balance the savoury tones of the mole and extend the experience into a complex finish.
Tasting is believing!
This batch has been bottled exclusive for Hedonism Wines & Spirits.
For a bottle, head to their exceptional central London store or online shop.
Continue your agave spirits journey via the Mezcal Appreciation Society:
