MAL BIEN VICTOR & EMANUEL RAMOS TEQUILERO 47.5% MEZCAL

Mengolí de Morelos, Miahuatlán, Oaxaca 0722VFR, 47.5%, 267 bottles, July, 2022 While the first tequilana agaves arrived in Miahuatlán in the 1980s, it was the ongoing boom and bust cycles of Jalisco’s agave prices in the 1990s and 2000s that led many tequila producers to seek more steadily available and price stable sources for blue weber agaves. Even though they were far outside the boundaries of tequila’s denomination of origin, the talents of Miahuatlán’s magueyeros were well-known, and deals were made to send them tequilana clones, which they would raise and sell back to the tequila brands. Local mezcaleros found they enjoyed working with the plants, and continue to work with the plants, including this batch made by Victor from agaves grown in Mengolí. Victor and his son Emanuel are the 3rd and 4th generations of the Ramos family to produce mezcal in the Miahuatlán district of Oaxaca. They are related to the neighboring Cortes Family by way of Victor’s wife (Emanuel’s mother), Cleotilde, whose sister Cesilia is married to Felipe OVENS: 15 ton pit COOK TIME: 6 Days WOOD: encino, guamuche, mesquite REST: tepextate and tobalá are milled immediately, others rest 5-7 Days MILL: tahona FERM TANKS: sabino, oak WATER: well FERM. TIME: 3-8 days DISTILLATIONS: two STILLS: two copper alambiques con refrescadera (275L/each) ADJUSTMENT: puntas y colas ____________________________________ VICTOR y EMANUEL RAMOS MENGOLI DE MORELOS, MIAHUATLAN, OAX. Victor and his son Emanuel are the 3rd and 4th generations of the Ramos family to produce mezcal in the Miahuatlán District of Oaxaca, an area famous for its strong tradition of agave spirits abundance and diversity of A. karwinskii sub-species (bicuixe, madrecuixe, tobaxiche, etc.). They are related to the neighboring Cortes family via Victor’s wife (Emanuel’s mother), Cleotilde, whose sister Cesilia is married to Felipe. Though father and son work side-by-side, batch codes ending in VFR signify the cuts, and final composition were done by Victor, and batch codes ending in ER signify the cuts and composition were done by Emanuel. THE BASICS (NOVEMBER, 2020) How old are you, and how long have you been making mezcal? Emanuel: Forever. Our whole lives. When my dad was five, his job was to poke the fire on the still; when I was 5, it became my job. Now, I’m 24 and my dad is 54. How many generations has your family been producing mezcal? Emanuel: I am the fourth generation. How many years has your family been using your palenque? Emanuel: 20 years here. Before that, we worked in the palenque of my grandfather Pablo Ramos Sanchez. What should the world know about your family or your village? Emanuel: That we are a family and a village who make good mezcal, and we are proud of it. PRODUCTION Distilling Season(s): January-June, November-December Woods used in Oven: Encino (Quercus spp.), Mesquite (Prosopis spp.) Oven Size: 13 tons, 8 tons Cook Time: 8-10 Days Rest bet. Oven and Mill: Tepextate and tobalá are milled immediately, others will rest between 5-7 days. Mill Type: Ox drawn tahona Fermentation vessel: Open air sabino (Taxodium mucronatum) tinas Water Source: Well Fermentation Time: 3-8 Days Still Type: Two copper alambiques (275 liter/ea) with refrescadera Refrescadera: Water is changed one time during distillation. Distillations: 2