Palenqueros Baltazar Cruz Sierra Negra Agave Spirit (750Ml)

Description

This bottling comes from Baltazar Cruz, a respected palenquero in San Luis del Río, Oaxaca. Sierra Negra is not a place here. It is a wild agave, a type of Agave americana, and a tough one to work with. Palenqueros bottles it as a single palenque release, so you taste one maker's hand.

Everything is done the slow way. The wild agave roasts in an earthen pit oven. A mule turns the stone tahona to crush it. The juice ferments with wild yeast in pine vats, then runs through a small copper still. It is bottled at 51% straight from the still, with nothing added.

Your nose finds roasted agave first, then a cool wave of minerals like wet slate and sea salt. A thread of wood smoke and some spice follow. On the palate it stays mineral, with grilled dark fruit and a burnt orange note. A little caramel sweetness and soft leather round it out. The finish is warm and spicy, with a sweet herbal edge.

At full strength it is best sipped slowly from a small glass. Add a few drops of water if the heat feels big. Orange slices with chili salt make a classic partner, and grilled seafood works well too.

Pick this up if you enjoy deep, savory agave spirits and like knowing exactly who made them. It is a rare chance to taste a hard-to-find agave in a careful, traditional style.

Product Details

• SKU: 8000207058516
• Bottle Size: 750ml
• ABV: 48.5%
• Origin / Country: San Luis del Río, Oaxaca, Mexico
• Type: Agave Spirit
• Brand: Palenqueros
• Agave: Wild Sierra Negra (Agave americana)
• Production: Earthen pit oven, mule-drawn tahona, wild-yeast fermentation in pine vats, 300L copper still, still strength
• Recommended Pairing: Orange with chili salt, grilled seafood
• Mixing Suggestion: Sip neat; a few drops of water if you like
• Taste Profile: Minerals, grilled dark fruit, burnt orange, spice, caramel, leather
• Aroma & Bouquet: Roasted agave, slate, sea salt, wood smoke, spice
• Smooth & Finish: Warm, spicy finish with a sweet herbal edge