Hacienda Oponguio
PRODUCTS
At the beginning of the 20th Century, Juan Mejía Gómez began our mezcal’s story along the stream adjacent to Lake Pátzcuaro in Oponguio, Michoacán. Two generations later, we’ve resumed the tradition and in 2015, Hacienda Oponguio was born.
PRODUCTs
HACIENDA OPONGUIO
INAEQUIDENS HERBAL
ABV: 47%.
Agave: 100% Wild Inaequidens with a minimum of 18 years of maduration.
Region: Municipality of Erongaricuaro Michoacán.
Cut and Selection: Cut with coa, and digital refractometer with a minimum level of 18° Brix of sugar.
Cook: Baked in a stone and brick oven between 3 to 4 days, with avocado and oak wood.
Fermentation: 4 to 5 days in pine wood vats with 160 meter deep well water.
Distillation: Double distillation in an ancient Filipino cooper alembic with wooden cap. Distillation rhythm at 60ml per minute (3.6 L per hour).
Aged: 1 year in glass jars.
Tasting Notes
Green tasting notes dominate, herbaceous flavor and agave. Herbal flavor, with hints of smoke and wood (because of the time in the stilll), citrus fruits and herbaceous flavors dominate, subtle but lasting aftertaste of maguey molasses.
Hacienda Oponguio
Inaequidens Fruity
ABV: 47%.
Agave: 100% Wild Inaequidens with a minimum of 18 years of maduration.
Region: Municipality of Erongaricuaro Michoacán.
Cut and Selection: Cut with coa, and digital refractometer with a minimum level of 18° Brix of sugar.
Cook: Baked in a stone and brick oven between 3 to 4 days, with avocado and oak wood.
Fermentation: 4 to 5 days in pine wood vats with 160 meter deep well water.
Distillation: Double distillation in an ancient Filipino cooper alembic with wooden cap. Distillation rhythm at 60ml per minute (3.6 L per hour).
Aged: 1 year in glass jars.
Tasting Notes
Floral aroma, citrus fruits, smoked, wet earth. Fruity flavor, with hints of smoke and wood (because of the type of still). Slightly sweet citrus fruits, subtle but lasting aftertaste of agave molasses.
Hacienda Oponguio
Inaequidens Dry
ABV: 47%.
Agave: 100% Wild Inaequidens with a minimum of 18 years of maduration.
Region: Municipality of Erongaricuaro Michoacán.
Cut and Selection: Cut with coa, and digital refractometer with a minimum level of 18° Brix of sugar.
Cook: Baked in a stone and brick oven between 3 to 4 days, with avocado and oak wood.
Fermentation: 4 to 5 days in pine wood vats with 160 meter deep well water.
Distillation: Double distillation in an ancient Filipino cooper alembic with wooden cap. Distillation rhythm at 60ml per minute (3.6 L per hour).
Aged: 1 year in glass jars.
Tasting Notes
Pine forest aroma, wet grass, citrus, rosemary. Herbal flavor, with hints of smoke and wood (because of the type of still), citrus, spices, subtle but lasting after taste of agave molasses.
Hacienda Oponguio
Cupreata
ABV: 47%.
Agave: Cupreata semi-cultivated with a minimun of 7 years of maduration.
Region: Municipality of Erongaricuaro and Villa Madero Michoacán.
Cut and Selection: Cut with coa, and digital refractometer with a minimum level of 28° Brix of sugar
Cook: Baked in a stone and brick oven between 3 to 4 days, with avocado and oak wood.
Fermentation: 4 to 5 days in pine wood vats with 160 meter deep well water.
Distillation: Double distillation in an ancient Filipino cooper alembic with wooden cap. Distillation rhythm at 60ml per minute (3.6 L per hour).
Aged: 1 year in glass jars.
Tasting Notes
Green grass aroma, herbaceous and agave flavor. Herbal flavor, with smoky and a touch of wood (due to the time in the still). Intense flavor of agave, menthol, citrus, chili pepper aftertaste.
Hacienda Oponguio
Inaequidens / Angustifolia Ensamble
ABV: 47%.
Agave: 100% wild Angustifolia with a minimum of 6 years of maturation and 100% Wild Inaequidens with a minimum of 18 years of maduration.
Region: Michoacán.
Cut and Selection: Cut with coa, and digital refractometer with a minimum level of 32° Brix of sugar for angustifolia and 18° Brix of sugar for inaequidens
Cook: Baked in a stone and brick oven between 3 to 4 days, with avocado and oak wood.
Fermentation: 4 to 5 days in pine wood vats with 160 meter deep well water.
Distillation: Double distillation in an ancient Filipino cooper alembic with wooden cap. Distillation rhythm at 60ml per minute (3.6 L per hour).
Aged: 1 year in glass jars.
Tasting Notes
Smokey aroma, wild herbs, molasses, and green apple. The natural notes of agave espadín predominate over the general aroma. Smokey flavor with lime citrus notes; the aftertaste is long-lasting, leaning towards a mineral taste characteristic of the Inaequidens agave.
Hacienda Oponguio
Angustifolia (Espadín)
ABV: 40%.
Agave: 100% wild Angustifolia with a minimum of 6 years of maturation
Region: Michoacán.
Cut and Selection: Cut with coa, and digital refractometer with a minimum level of 32° Brix of sugar
Cook: Baked in a stone and brick oven between 3 to 4 days, with avocado and oak wood.
Fermentation: 4 to 5 days in pine wood vats with 160 meter deep well water.
Distillation: Double distillation in an ancient Filipino cooper alembic with wooden cap. Distillation rhythm at 60ml per minute (3.6 L per hour).
Aged: 1 year in glass jars.
Tasting Notes
Smoky aroma, wild herbs, molasses, wet earth. Smoky flavor, but citric flavors of lime and grapefruit dominate. Long aftertaste of sweet cooked agave.
ABOUT HACIENDA OPONGUIO
Hacienda Oponguio is a traditionally made mezcal from the state of Michoacán in central Mexico on the shores of picturesque Lake Pátzcuaro. The area is filled with culture and tradition, being the capital of the historic Purépecha empire. The geography is an interesting one, with rolling hills and pine trees, as well as plants that thrive in semi-arid climates such as the nopal cactus and agave.
(Source: INEGI)
Hacienda Oponguio prides themselves on using agave inaequidens, a rare and enormous agave that thrives in the microclimate around the distillery. This agave is found only in the states of Michoacán and neighbouring Jalisco and can take between 18 and 30 years to reach maturity! Despite growing very large, it has a low brix sugar level and therefore has a very low yield/kg when compared to more common types of agave such as espadín. While it takes around 10kg of espadín to make one litre of mezcal, using the inaequidens agave can take up to 40kg to make that same litre!
(Left: Agave inaequidens Right: Agave cupreata)
Although they specialize in agave inaequidens, Hacienda Oponguio also produces mezcales with cultivated agave angustifolia (espadín) and semi-wild agave cupreata. Agave angustifolia is the most common agave in Mexico with distribution from Sonora to Oaxaca; however each region will have its own subspecies or natural variants. Hacienda Oponguio sources its angustifolia from Michoacán, giving it a slightly earthier and greener flavour than found in Oaxacan angustifolia. Agave cupreata is endemic only to the depression of the Río Balsas in the states of Michoacán and Guerrero. Taking at least 7 years to mature, it gives the mezcal a deep and rich backdrop for the floral and green notes to dance upon. Hacienda Oponguio sources these agaves from their municipality of Erongarícuaro as well as nearby in Villa Madero.
Despite using different agaves, all Hacienda Oponguio expressions are produced with the same, traditional Michoacán technique at their distillery on Lake Pátzcuaro. The cut agave piñas are transported to the distillery and are cooked artisanally in an underground, brick-lined oven. Local oak and avocado wood are used to heat local volcanic stones until red hot. The piñas are then carefully placed on a bed of bagazo (used agave fiber) so as not to burn. They are then covered with straw mats and finally earth to seal the oven shut. As per the local norm, the cook takes 3-4 days to complete.
Next, the cooked piñas are milled in a mechanical shredder and the fibers are put into locally made pine fermentation vats along with deep well water. As we are dealing with a wild, open fermentation, the process is weather-dependent and can take anywhere between 4 to 6 days.
Finally, the fermented product is slowly distilled twice (discontinuous distillations) in traditional Michoacán stills. They are based off of the ancient Filipino style, with the Michoacán hybrid version bearing a copper pot and a wooden hat.
After the cuts are made, the heart of the distillation is used and is diluted to 47% abv for final consumption. This is based off of the gusto histórico (or local tradition based of the tastes of the community) of the region. The only abv that differs is the angustifolia/espadín, which is diluted to 40% abv in order to be more approachable to consumers that are new to sipping mezcal. All of the mezcales are then rested in glass demijohns for one year to allow the flavours and aromas to marry. This is the traditional way to rest mezcal, as opposed to using wood barrels, as the glass does not impart anything to the mezcal, it is only a neutral vessel to allow the natural components to come together and mellow.
Salud!
