NETA 2020 Tepextate from Aniceto García was a special collaboration effort between the NETA brand and our friends over at Mezcalistas.
About this destilado de agave
NETA 2020 Tepextate from Aniceto García was a collaboration effort between NETA and Mezcalistas. Per Mezcalistas: In preparing this batch, Aniceto selected 25 Tepextate plants he had been monitoring over the past several years. Unlike some other folks, Aniceto harvests Tepextate en guía that has matured but has not yet started to shoot its flowering stalk. Through the accumulation of generations of knowledge and nearly 50 years of hands-on experience, he knows that this agave is to be worked differently than other species in order to extract a maximum amount of aromas, flavors, and overall yield. Once cooked, he knows that Tepextate must be processed quickly, unlike most other agaves. As soon as the piñas are cool enough to touch, they are moved to a wooden chopping block, and split into smaller chunks with a machete. Aniceto uses a wooden mallet known as a mazo to macerate the cooked agave before immediately transferring the fibers and juices into a Monztezuma cypress sabino wood fermentation vat. Dry fermentation for Tepextate, according to the recipe, is never longer than 24 hours, and once water is added, the mash is pulled in 48-72 hours, after careful monitoring, and well before all the sugars have been converted to alcohol. If it sounds odd, well, the proof is in the glass, so to speak.
Aniceto’s particular distillation style is also quite unique. He uses the same materials and techniques shown to him by his grandfather: a copper boiler pot and cap, fitted with a refrescadera cooling jacket. Unlike some other methods in the vicinity, Aniceto fills the refrescadera three times in each round of distillation. A select cut of high proof liquid from this first round, which he refers to as shishe macizo, is separated and used to lower the final alcohol content of the heads and hearts cuts selected from the rectification in the second distillation. To complete this 40L carga, as this quantity is known, he used about a liter and a half of shishe macizo to combine with a mix of about 38.5L of puntas and corazón, the perfect amount to create a gorgeous bouquet of aromas, and display a perfect cordon cerrado of bubbles when put to the test.
NETA
NETA is a colloquial word in Mexico that translates to “the real deal” or “the truth”. Since 2012, the brand has worked closely with several small, family producers and a cooperative of twelve palenqueros from the southern valleys and hills of Miahuatlán, Oaxaca. The region has preserved its reputation for producing some of the finest mezcales and agave spirits anywhere in Mexico. The team behind NETA presents a carefully curated selection of extraordinary spirits that would otherwise never be found outside of its place of origin.
A note about NETA labels: The total bottle count written on the front label might be less than the total batch size. Batches may be split between Mexico, Europe, and the US; the handwritten bottle count represents the number of bottles imported into a particular country.
Learn more about NETA:
- NETA – Spirit Distilled from Agave on the K&L Wines Spirits Journal blog
- NETA is finally here on Mezcalistas
Review this bottle
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mt_rainyer
43 reviewsTPXANC2011 (notes from 2022)
A very tasty tep with an amazing nose – wet grass after a summer rain in a deserty area, lawn mower clippings, thai basil, spearmint, minerals, and guanábana. The texture is softer than you’d think given the minerality. On the palate it is a bit hot with mint with a bit of spice from the pepper, a lush sweetness, but overall less aromatic and green than the nose. While I do like this batch, I prefer the Tep release the NETA Gilberto Aquino Garciá Tep batch by a hair which has less of a good finish at the end as this, but also tastes a little less hot on the palate overall.
TPXANC2011 (notes from 2022)
A very tasty tep with an amazing nose – wet grass after a summer rain in a deserty area, lawn mower clippings, thai basil, spearmint, minerals, and guanábana. The texture is softer than you’d think given the minerality. On the palate it is a bit hot with mint with a bit of spice from the pepper, a lush sweetness, but overall less aromatic and green than the nose. While I do like this batch, I prefer the Tep release the NETA Gilberto Aquino Garciá Tep b
BKbobby
6 reviewsExcellent marriage of what I’ve come to recognize as Miahuatlán’s mineral qualities with tepextate’s tightly wound green flavors and aromas. I’ve had a couple of other tepextates from Neta but this is the first from Aniceto, and it’s seriously top flight. Of course I’m late to the party and the tiny batch is long gone. Hopefully they release more from Aniceto soon.
Zack Klamn
542 reviewsNose – Jalapeno seeds. Rubber tree. Chalkboard brush dust.
Palate – Heavily-candied, roasted jalapenos. Serrano pepper flavor but not near as spicy. Wet basil. Heavy on the mint and sugary sweetness, like trying to suck up the remnants of a mojito with a straw. Menthol cigarette aftertaste. I think this may be the sweetest Tepeztate I’ve had (a little bit much).
COak
238 reviewsWonderful nose here! You can tell it comes from Mihuatlan. Chocolate covered cheries, green peppers and basil on the tongue. I hope to see more out there from Aniceto.
Rakhal
430 reviewsTepextate used to be my favorite Agave. There’s something about that intensely green flavor that just punches me in the face, in a good way. Over the years my tastes have changed and I can’t really say that I have a favorite Agave anymore, but then this little gem came along and reminded me of what this incredible long lived Agave can do in the hands of a master. There is a LOT of flavor in this one!! It’s also flawless. Aniceto took his time and made this with love and care and it shows. Fresh jalapeños and green bell peppers along with handfuls of fresh wet mint leaves. Cucumber peels, and kiwis, ending in a beautiful finish of strawberry cream soda. Why oh why didn’t I buy two bottles!!
Tepextate used to be my favorite Agave. There’s something about that intensely green flavor that just punches me in the face, in a good way. Over the years my tastes have changed and I can’t really say that I have a favorite Agave anymore, but then this little gem came along and reminded me of what this incredible long lived Agave can do in the hands of a master. There is a LOT of flavor in this one!! It’s also flawless. Aniceto took his time and made this with love and care and it shows.
TheAgaveFairy
169 reviewsNose: There’s some of that wild Miahuatlan candy that I crave in here. The most aromatic and bright of the three in this flight, though I’m having trouble placing things. Some kind of grass, mints, maybe honeydew, watermelon Jolly Rancher, some serrano, marshmallow, mild kukicha, grapefruit.
Palate: Complex entry, elusive candy, but also leaning dark, nuttier than the nose. The candy is just in and out and in and out, the finish leaning on black and other peppercorns, serrano, light mint and lime. Solid as a rock.
Nose: There’s some of that wild Miahuatlan candy that I crave in here. The most aromatic and bright of the three in this flight, though I’m having trouble placing things. Some kind of grass, mints, maybe honeydew, watermelon Jolly Rancher, some serrano, marshmallow, mild kukicha, grapefruit.
Palate: Complex entry, elusive candy, but also leaning dark, nuttier than the nose. The candy is just in and out and in and out, the finish leaning on black and other peppercorns, serrano, light mint an
Jonny
728 reviewsThe nose on this is out of this world. Aromas of fresh green peppers, vanilla beans, spearmint, chardonnay, and chalky minerals. The palate mostly matches the nose with it’s peppery and minty elements, also a touch of vanilla. The texture is velvety with a bit of pleasant heat. Neta and Mezcalistas really crushed it with this Tepextate.