Mal Bien Papalote Capòn - Ciro + Javier Barranca

48% ABV

Papalote is a variety of Agave Cupreata that grows widely in the states of Guerrero and Puebla. This batch comes from Maestros Mezcaleros Don Ciro Barranca and his grandson Javier. They are the 3rd and 5th generation Mezcaleros from their family and their fabrica is in Chilapa de Alvarez, Guerrero. They primarily grow and distill Papalote but also have the areas largest plantings of Zacatoro, a variety of Agave Angustifolia. 

The agaves were harvested "Capòn", which means "castrated". When an agave is fully mature, it sprouts a flowering stalk and uses all of it's sugars for flowering which renders the agave useless for Mezcal production. With Capòn agaves, the stalk is cut just as it sprouts, leaving the sugars inside of the "Piña" or heart of the agave to concentrate and develep secondary flavors and aromas in the resulting mezcal. These agaves were left in the field capòn for 2 years prior to harvest. They were roasted in an earthen oven for 4 days. The cooked agaves were cut with machetes and run through a wood chipper. They were fermented in open air ayacahuite tinas or wooden vats with spring water and ambient yeasts for 5-7 days. The resulting mash was double distilled in copper alembic stills and proofed with puntas y colas (heads and tails of the distillation) with no water added. Tropical fruits, minerality, apples, and roasty agave notes dominate this extremely pleasing and drinkable Papalote.