EXCELLENCE
START
Mezcal Artesanal Pícaro was born a few years ago having quality as our main objective which has been achieved by going beyond in each of the steps needed to transform a natural product as Agave Espadín, with which all our mezcales are made of.
AGAVE ESPADÍN
Manufacturing a high-quality product starts with top quality raw materials.
Agave plants require an average between 5 to 9 years to reach maturity, which translates into the concentration of sugars needed to transmit the characteristics of the plant.
When producing Mezcal Artesanal Pícaro we select only fully mature plants from all of the Oaxaca area, and we do not skimp on the amount needed to ensure that each bottle we distil meets our expectations.
COOKING
Once the quality and maturation of the agaves are met, the leaves are cut off (jima) leaving what is known as the “piña” because its similarity to a pineapple. The “piñas” are then split in two and placed by hand in a conical stone oven underground, using firewood and stones. The cooking takes 4 days inside this oven allowing a better preservation of the aromas and flavours of the agave
GRINDING
After cooking, the ovens are unloaded and the cooked “piñas” are taken to the grinding area, where they are ground inside a circular stone structure called “Tahona”, pulled by a horse. This is an ancient and traditional method.
The “piñas” can be ground up to 8 times. The more times they are ground, the more juice will be extracted. However, in each grinding the juice loses its concentration and flavour qualities. That is why in Mezcal Artesanal Pícaro we only grind our “piñas” twice, in order to extract the true pulp of the plants.
FERMENTATION
During the fermentation process, sugars become alcohol.
This is carried out in pine and sabino wood tubs where we put the ground agave, the water is added and mixed by hand. The fermentation process takes about 5 to 6 days to complete. It is a 100% natural fermentation, so it depends on ambient temperature.
DISTILLATION
To control and obtain a spirit of the highest quality, it is required to distil in coper stills, a method by which we distil the fermented liquid twice and strive for quality control. This process involves more waste than other forms, but our commitment is to produce with quality, and it is well worth it.
