50% ABV
Maguey Puma is a local name for Agave Asperrima, often called "Lamparillo" when when it's found in the state of Durango. These agaves grow wild in the biodiverse grasslands of Rancho El Rocillo in the central part of the state. The agaves are "capado" by the grazing cattle and local deer population. What that means is that when the agaves have reached full maturity and begin to sprout their "quiote" or flowering stalk, the animals eat the sprout which essentially castrates the plant, keeping all of its sugars in the piña or heart of the agave.
After they are harvested, the agaves are roasted in a rock lined earthen pit with huizache and encino wood. The cooked agaves are crushed with a stone tahona and fermented in pine vats with ambient yeasts. The mash is double distilled in a copper alembic and proofed with heads and tails. This yielded a tiny batch of just 288 bottles.
About Origen Raiz:
Origen Raiz is a collaboration between the Saravia family from Durango and Asis and Valentin Cortes from Palenque Guardianes del Mezcal in Oaxaca. Asis and his father Valentin helped the Saravia family build a Viñata (the local term for a palenque or distillery) and shared their expertise in distillation and mezcal production with them. Don Valentin continues to assist them with distillation to this day.
The Cortes family has a long history in the Mezcal space in Santiago Matatlan, Oaxaca and have their own brand, Mezcal Dixeebe, in addition to having previously produced for El Jolgorio and Nuestra Soledad. They are passionate defenders of traditional Mezcal culture and production methods and their palenque is an oasis of quality and integrity amongst the sea of more industrial production which surrounds them in Matatlan. "Don Vale" is one of our favorite Maestros and we have loved nearly every spirit of his that we've been fortunate enough to taste.
The Saravia family are cattle ranchers who focus on sustainable agriculture and regenerative land management on their massive ranch in Durango, Mexico. They decided to start this project when Bildo Saravia fell deeply in love with agave spirits and befriended the Cortes family. They see this project as both a way to make amazing Mezcal and also to protect and revitalize the land. They harvest only 10% of the mature wild agaves on their property each year, leaving the remaining 90% to go to seed. This supports local pollinators like bats and birds and is vital for maintaining the genetic diversity and strength of the agaves.
