When crafting this agave distillates collection, the focus goes beyond just the villages or agave varieties — this range honors the palenqueros themselves: the master distillers. Their names are proudly displayed on the labels, with their portraits featured on each bottle, highlighting their craftsmanship.
Each product is made by producers who use only wild, pesticide-free cultivated agaves, pressed by hand and bottled at their natural strength, preserving the authenticity of their flavors. This series seeks draw a detailed map of the rich history of Oaxaca's terroir, the diversity of agave species and the natural conditions that give the agave a deep formation during its long growing process. Palenqueros celebrates the expertise of six of the most artisanal producers from various villages in the state of Oaxaca and is managed by project coordinator Hector Vazquez.
2024 Release
ALBERTO ORTIZ & ONOFRE ORTIZ
Location: Bramaderos
Father and son, fourth and fifth generation in mezcal production respectively. The Ortiz family produces distillate that comes from a unique orange soil characteristic of their region which gives it an extraordinary mineral strength.
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VALENTE GARCÍA
Location: Santa Maria La Pila
Don Valente is a fourth-generation Palenquero and has passed the baton on to his fifth and sixth generation after managing to bring home his sons who emigrated to the United States. The family organization is perfect: they cultivate agave naturally and produce a very high quality mezcal.
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​​BALTAZAR CRUZ
Location: San Luis del Rio
Baltazar Cruz is a first-generation Palenquero in the production of mezcal and is known for his entrepreneurial skills. The region of San Luis del Rio is renowned for the quality of its soil, favorable to the cultivation of many agave varieties, including Espadín, Sierra Negra, Tepextate, Mexicano, Coyote and Mexicanito.
PALENQUEROS
