San Jose Río Minas
Roberto Gutiérrez Ramírez palenque is outside the village of San Jose Rio Minas in Mixteca Alta, Oaxaca. It is memorable for those who have travelled there due to the arduous journey by dirt road and then traversing the narrow footbridge strung high across the raging river below to reach the palenque.
Here, Roberto and his son Alberto hand mash agave in hollowed-out tree trunks with wooden mallets to load their tinas. They distil in tiny 60 litre clay steel pots stills with clay condensers and carrizo (Mexican bamboo) tubing.
Production notes
Elevation: 4,855 feet (1,480 meters)
Agave: Espadín, Arroqueño and Mexicano
Roast: Granite earthen pit horno for 3 to 4 days
Mill: By hand
Water source: Spring
Fermentation: Natural yeast in 220-litre open-top wooden tinas
Distillation: Double distilled in 60-litre direct-fired clay stills.
Del Maguey Single Village Mezcal
Status: Bottlers not distillers
Established: 1995
Owner: Del Maguey Ltd
Capacity: Not supplied
Visitor Policy: Not generally accessible
Website: Del Maguey Single Village Mezcal
Address: Macedonio Alcala No. 403 Local 7, Centro Historico, Oaxaca de Juarez, Oaxaca, 68000
Established: 1995
Owner: Del Maguey Ltd
Capacity: Not supplied
Visitor Policy: Not generally accessible
Website: Del Maguey Single Village Mezcal
Address: Macedonio Alcala No. 403 Local 7, Centro Historico, Oaxaca de Juarez, Oaxaca, 68000
