Palenqueros – Baltazar Cruz – Sierra Negra – Batch No. BC-SN01

First launched in 2019, the PALENQUEROS range makes a long-awaited return to the US Market. Five years after the inaugural release, this second range illustrates that while many things can change – the availability of certain agaves, trends in the market, shipping costs – the quality spirit of a maestro palenquero is timeless.

When curating this collection of destilado de agave, the focus goes beyond the villages or agave varieties — this range honors the master distillers themselves: the palenqueros. Their names are proudly displayed on the labels, with their portraits featured on each bottle to highlight their craftsmanship. PALENQUEROS is a collaborative project celebrating the expertise of six artisanal producers from various villages in the state of Oaxaca with project coordinator Hector Vazquez.

Each bottling is made by producers who use only organically harvested (no pesticides) agaves, cooked and fermented spontaneously with the natural ambient yeast unique to each distillery. Distilled on small pot stills and bottled at full proof to preserve the authenticity of their historical flavors. PALENQUEROS seeks to draw a detailed map of the rich history of Oaxaca’s terroir, the diversity of agave species and the natural conditions that give the agave a deep formation during its long growing process.

BALTAZAR CRUZ
​​​
Baltazar Cruz is a first-generation Palenquero who is known for his entrepreneurial skills. The region of San Luis del Rio, which sits at 955 meters above sea level, is renowned for the quality of its soil which is favorable to the cultivation of many agave varieties, including Espadín, Sierra Negra, Tepextate, Mexicano, Coyote and Mexicanito.

Baltazar uses wild harvested Sierra Negra agave to create this exceptional spirit. The agave is cooked in an 16-ton earthen oven pit before it is crushed by mule-drawn tahona and fermented in pine wood vats for 5 days using the ambient yeast of the distillery. Distilled in his classic 300L copper still, this expression highlights the distinct attributes of the Sierra Negra agave, a variety celebrated for its intense and unique profile. Bottled at still strength of 51% ABV with no additives.​

PRODUCTION

Producer: Baltazar Cruz
Location: San Luis del Rio, Tlacolula, Oaxaca
Maguey: Sierra Negra Silvestre – Agave americana oax.
Cooking system: Conical cone earthen oven pit
Grinding system: Tahona, mule drawn
Fermentation: Four days with ambient yeast in pine vats

Distillation: 300 liter copper pot still

Bottling: Still strength of 51% abv. 800 bottles produced.

​

​

​​

Tasting notes: Spicy nuances of black pepper and nutmeg mingle with a notable mineral salinity. The mid-palate gains a creamy lime-tart like texture with hints of vanilla, while the aftertaste offers a refreshing mint quality.