– Mihauatlán . Tierra del Mezcal San Andrés –
chapter 3
– Agave before and after harvest in Miahuatlan –
T
his month we are celebrating Oaxaca and the 20th anniversary of Alipùs Mezcal by sharing our visits to some Palenques and the recipes Alexandra created for their 20th anniversary cocktail menu.
In this article we travel to Miahuatlán and San Baltazar Guelavila.
You can read our first article here
& here the second article here
ALIPÚS COCKTAILS & PALENQUES
3
San Andrés
San Andrés Mezcal was created by Don Valente Garcìa in the Miahuatlan region, south of Oaxaca. Miahuatlan is in the Sierra Sur, the entry gate to Oaxaca Pacific Coast. Look south and you can imagine Puerto Escondido, Mazunte, Puerto Angel waiting for you. You are still 4 hours away from palms and waves but the local market is already full with tropical products with plantains and cocoa above all.
Miahuatlan is one of the golden areas of Mezcal, famous for its Karwinskii agaves: tall and fibrous plants that produce some of the finest mezcales. Cuishe, Madre-Cuishe and Bicuishe all belong to this family. The soil goes from white calcite to orange clay that turns red at sunset.
In Miahuatlán Alipús works with Don Valente Angel to create Mezcal San Andrés.
As many maestros, Don Valente spent a few years as a construction worker in California before coming back to Miahuatlan and dedicate his life to the distillation of Agave. Today, all the family works in the production of Mezcal, with Don Valente nephew, Semeí, supervising the growing and harvesting of wild and cultivated agaves in one of the tidiest plantations we ever saw.
– Don Valente García Mezcal San Andrés Miahuatlán –
– Sierra Dusk –
Cocktail Sierra Dusk
With San Andrés
Style Sazerac
Mezcal Aroma notes of cooked agave, unrefined cane sugar, caramel, white flowers and anis.
Mezcal taste Notes of toasted fruits and cocoa, minerals and spices finish.
-
1 ½ Mezcal San Andrés
-
1 sugar cube
-
3 dashes Peychaud’s bitters
-
Absinthe
Fill old-fashioned glass with ice.
Muddle sugar and bitters in a separate old-fashioned glass. Add Mezcal and stir. Discard ice from first glass. Add absinthe to chilled glass, swirl to coat inside and discard excess absinthe. Pour mezcal mixture from second glass into chilled glass.
Twist lemon over drink.
– View from San Baltazar Guelavila –
4
San Baltazar
The Hernandez family in San Baltazar is one of the most prolific. They work for many brands using different palenques while keeping a high quality standard.
Alipús produces Mezcal San Baltazar here with Cirillo Hernandez who is taking over the production after his father Cosme pioneer work.
Cirillo and Cosme are emblematic of what’s happening today in Oaxaca: younger generations becoming interested into Mezcal and learning from their parents how to reproduce a quality they mastered through years of practice.
With the help of Karina Abad (Alipús master distiller) San Baltazar recently renewed its palenque to allow for better work conditions and a more consistent quality.
– Cirilo Hernandez –
– Cosme Hernandez –
Cocktail ROYAL MAGUEY
With San Andrés
Style Queen’s Favorite
Mezcal Aroma orange peel, lemon, herbs (epazote) cinnamon and river rocks.
Mezcal taste good acidity with citric notes and light sweet finish.
-
1 ½ Mezcal San Baltazar
-
1 Dubonnet
-
¼ Fresh orange juice
Stir with ice and strain into a chilled Old Fashioned glass.
Garnish with Lemon twist.
– Agaves from San Baltazar –
Bonus Recipe: Santa Ana and Sant Luis
T
here are still two cocktails in the Alipus XX Anniversary menu: Santa Ana and San Luis.
– PRECIOUS CARGO –
PRECIOUS CARGO
With Santa Ana del Rio
Style Martini
Mezcal Aroma citrics like pomelo and lime, seeds, almonds, olives, rosemary and thyme. Notes of Paraffin.
Mezcal taste Good acidity, rosemary, glyceric finish.
-
1 ½ Mezcal Santa Ana
-
¼ Ancho Reyes Verde
-
½ Dolin Dry Vermouth
Stir with ice and strain into a chilled Martini Glass.
Garnish with 3 drops olive oil and rosemary sprig.
– PILAR –
Pilar
With San Luis
Style Hemingway Daiquiri
Mezcal Aroma lactic fermentation, yeasts, pineapple, eucalyptus and hints of smoke.
Mezcal taste Oily with herbal finish.
-
2 Mezcal San Luis
-
¼ Maraschino
-
¾ fresh grapefruit
-
1 spoon fresh lime juice