2024 Q2 Spirited VA - 31

The Plant
Another fascinating aspect of mezcals,
says Hawkins, is the plant itself. " The
agave is unlike any other crop used for
any other spirit. "
Other crops used in making liquors, like
wheat, corn and barley, are planted through
sowing seeds. The crop is harvested, en
masse, several months later. Sugarcane's
growing season is one to two years and
stands can be harvested multiple times.
Only two agave species can be cultivated
in a farm setting-blue weber, used in
tequila, and espadin, used for about 80%
of mezcals. Agave plants are established
individually, using rhizomes. Although
these plants are notoriously hardy, thriving
in dry, harsh conditions, each one is very
particular to its preferred terroir: soil
composition and rockiness; proximity to
the ocean, other water sources and other
specific plants; slope; elevation; and more.
Also, not all agave plants are suited for
alcohol production. Out of the more than
200 species of agave, plus sub species,
only about 50 produce enough sugars to
be suitable for mezcal production.
To add to the complexity, agave plants
take years to mature, storing up the sugars
and starches needed to make a distilled
spirit. Most take seven to 15 years to reach
maturity, and each plant operates on its
own timetable.
Agave farmers watch for the flowering
quiote stem to shoot up from the center
of the plant. They don't want the quiote
to use up the piña's valuable sugars and
starches, so they cut it. The plant continues
producing and storing sugars for several
more months. When another quiote shoots
up, the plant is ripe for harvesting.
The harvest is distinctive, too. The
process is still dependent upon individual
workers rather than machines. Since each
plant matures in its own time, harvesters
can't simply work an entire field. They must
harvest only the plants that are ready. By
harvest time, the plant has reached 80 to
200 pounds. To harvest the agave, jimadors
(palenqueros in Oaxaca) cut off the spiny
leaves (penca), leaving what looks like a
huge pineapple, which is carted away for
processing and distilling.
The Distinctive Spirits
" I want people to realize what a rare spirit
[mezcal] is amongst all other industrial
spirits, " says Hawkins. " That to me is
what's most fascinating about it. It's not
like any other spirit in its process, in its
history and in its plant origins, so I think
that's why it's worth trying ... It's quite
sweet and beautiful and delicate and has
all the flavors you appreciate from any
good spirit or wine, but then it also has a
flavor spectrum which includes earthiness,
vegetation and smoke. "
The most well-known agave spirits,
tequila and mezcal, are distinguished
primarily by the agave and the process.
Tequilas are made only from blue weber
agave, cooked using processes such as
boiling and steaming. Mezcals can be made
from a variety of agave and are pit roasted
with fiery rocks and wood, imparting smoky
notes.
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2024 Q2 Spirited VA

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