NETA Espadin Capon - Càndido Garcia Cruz 2022

47.6% ABV

From an 800 liter batch distilled in February of 2022 by Maestro Càndido Garcia Cruz in the village of Logoche, Miahuatlan, Oaxaca. This is a relatively large batch by their standards and it constituted an entire full ovens worth of Espadin Capòn. "Capòn" refers to when fully mature agaves begin to sprout their flowering stalk ("Quiote") and the stalk is cut by the agavero. It essentially castrates the plant and leaves it in a liminal state of neither growth nor reproduction. When the plant is left in this state for a period of time, the latent sugars within the agave evolve their flavor and the resultant spirits can be fascinating. 

Producer Notes:
The variety of Agave angustifolia known as Espadín, while now widespread in Oaxaca, is not native to the region. It is thought to have arrived as early as the 1930s, though most references place its introduction several decades later, promoted by government programs and Matatlán-based mezcal producers. Espadín is prized for its high yield, ease of reproduction, and rapid maturation, making it a key cash crop. However, its ubiquity should not overshadow the exceptional quality it can achieve. This 2022 batch by maestro Cándido García Cruz offers a masterful expression of Espadín, capturing the unique character of its terrain and the skill of its maker.

Approximately 6000kg of capón Espadín were harvested from the García family’s rocky red-earth parcel known as La Mina, six months after the flowering stalks were removed. The roasted agave was macerated with a mechanical shredder and fermented in seven Montezuma cypress vats. Due to the volume of agave and limited space, fermentation and the first round of distillation were staggered over 21 days. Cándido and his son Heriberto collected nearly 2000 liters of low wines (shishe), rested the liquid for three days, and redistilled it under low heat in copper pot stills.

Blending heads, hearts, and high-proof tails (común macizo), the family yielded 800 liters of a remarkable mezcal at 47.7% ABV, with adjustments made until the signature cordón cerrado appeared. The batch was split between Europe and the U.S., with 200 liters (276 bottles) available through Mezcal Brothers in Europe and 600 liters (800 bottles) designated for U.S. importers PM Spirits.

Maguey(es): Espadín Capón (Agave angustifolia var.)
Provenance: Homegrown, La Mina parcel
Producer: Cándido García Cruz
Region: Logoche, Miahuatlán, Oaxaca
Soil Type: Red and rocky (tierra cascajudo)
Rest Time After Harvest: Eight days
Oven: Conical earthen pit; roasted for eight days with mesquite wood
Post-Roast Rest Time: Eight days
Maceration: Machete and shredder
Fermentation: Native yeasts; Seven 1200L Montezuma cypress vats (sabinos)
Dry Fermentation: 24-72 hours
Wet Fermentation: 12-15 days
Distillation: Twice in copper pot stills
Final Composition: Heads, hearts, and a high-proof cut of tails (común macizo)
Batch Size: 800 liters
Date of Distillation: February 2022
ABV: 47.6%

About NETA Spirits:

We have always felt a special connection to NETA because we were the first bar to ever purchase and pour their spirits way back in 2012. Founder Max Rosenstock was introduced to us through a regular customer of ours and he brought us some of the fabulous spirits that would eventually become his brand to taste and see what we thought. It was love at first sight. We have proudly poured his stuff ever since.

NETA works closely with over twenty small, family producers from the southern valleys and hills of Miahuatlán, Oaxaca, many of whom are members of the cooperative Grupo Productor Logoche. Situated at the southern tip of the Central Valleys and the foot of the Sierra Madre del Sur mountains, the area is renowned for the strong character of its people, its diverse landscapes, and the rich agricultural and culinary traditions that have been maintained throughout generations. As such, the region has preserved its reputation for producing some of the finest spirits in Mexico.

The recipes and knowledge have been passed down and shared through family and community ties. Some mezcaleros follow their grandfathers’ traditions to the letter, while others experiment to carefully fine-tune the laborious process in accordance with their own tastes, observations, and relationships with the natural world. No two productions can ever be exactly the same as environmental conditions, water, natural yeasts, and soil types all contribute to their nuances just as much as the touch of their maker.

Since 2012, our friendships and working relationships with families in rural communities across Miahuatlán have granted us participation in a world elusive to those not born into it. It is this humbling privilege that allows us to present a carefully curated selection of extraordinary spirits that would otherwise never be found outside of their place of origin. Así es, la mera mera NETA.

Traditional single-batch agave spirits

NETA exclusively commercializes single-batch agave spirits from producers in Miahuatlán and almost entirely from the 110-person village of Logoche. When talking about "single batches" we are referring to lots produced from a single oven or harvest of agave. The process of crafting these batches begins with the harvest of mature en guía or capón plants, often of various species or types of agave around the time of the full moon, that are then cooked together in a conical earthen pit. The roasted agave hearts or piñas are then either separated and designated for multiple smaller batches, or macerated and fermented together in their entirety to make a single batch. In accordance with traditional practices, the spirits produced from different ovens are not blended, homogenized, or standardized to a particular ABV. Each production is unique and bottled at still-strength by members and family members of the co-op and the quantity produced is relative to the number of agave cooked in an oven and their respective yield. Agave spirits are agricultural products, and the quantities of production should reasonably reflect the availability of local resources.