The stills at Santa Catarina Minas are made of clay and are known as Filipino stills. These are mounted on a stove built from adobe bricks, mud, and bagazo heated with firewood. A bottomless smaller condenser chamber clay pot sits in the neck of the clay boil pot and a copper pan continuously cooled with running water forms a lid to this clay condenser chamber. As the contents of the large pot boil, alcohol vapours rise and condense on the underside of the cold copper bowl forming droplets which are caught by a hollow carrizo reed which runs out the still, dripping with fresh mezcal.
This clay-pot distillation adds complexity and a perception of creaminess to the mezcal and has made Minero one of Del Maguey's most sought after mezcals with limited supplies meaning it is not available in all markets.
Don Lencho's two sons, Florencio Carlos Vásquez and Luis Carlos Vásquez, live next door to each other about a mile west of the village, one right next door to the other. Luis makes Minero for Del Maguey, working alongside his wife Alejandra, using the same techniques and clay pot stills heated over mud-brick stove learned from his father. He buys agave from his brother.
Production notes
Elevation: 5,052 feet (1,540 metres)
Agave: Espadín (8-14 years old)
Roast: Earthen pit horno for 4-5 days
Mill: By hand
Water source: Well
Fermentation: Natural yeast in 1,000 litre open-top wooden tinas
Distillation: Double distilled in 100 litre clay stills
