NETA Tepextate-Bicuixe-Espadín from Eliazar García Vásquez was originally released in the US as part of Agave Mixtape Vol 4.
About this destilado de agave
NETA Tepextate-Bicuixe-Espadín from Eliazar García Vásquez was originally released in the US as part of Agave Mixtape Vol 4. Per Agave Mixtape:
Born in 1982 in Logoche, Eliazar is part a younger generation of farmers and palenqueros that came of age in the post-NAFTA era, shaped by their experiences as campesinos and migrants. Eliazar and his brothers grew up under the tutelage of their father, Don Tómas, and grandfather, Don Nicolás – a true mezcal patriarch and one of the founders of Logoche. As boys, they were tasked with shepherding the livestock and assisting in the fields of corn, beans, squash, and agave. As they grew stronger, they entered the palenque to learn the traditions of fermentation and distillation that they practice today.
The privatization of services and subsidization of inferior quality crops that came along with the new free-trade agreement in 1994 had disruptive effects on life in rural Mexico, furthering economic difficulties and forcing many of its sons and daughters to look for work in the cities, or across the U.S. border in search of new possibilities. Eliazar and his brothers left Oaxaca as teenagers; one brother stayed and the other three came back to Logoche after nearly a decade abroad. With money saved and new experiences under their belt, each brother returned with the desire to start a family and dedicate himself 100% to the production of mezcal. In their absence, their father, uncles, and aunt founded Grupo Logoche, a producer owned cooperative, and individually planted thousands of agave that would begin to ripen upon their return.
With the arrival of the full moon on March 2020, Eliazar, together with his brothers Nícolas and Juan, harvested enough ripe agave to fill a nearly 10-ton earthen oven at the family’s palenque. For the production of this Tepextate-forward ensamble, Eliazar selected the most mature capón magueyes from a red and mineral-rich, tierra colorada family parcel. Losing about 30% of their water weight in the oven, the five Tepextates cooked down to about 250kg, the 20 Bicuixe, around 200kg, and three large espadínes reduced to another 200kg of caramelized maguey. With enough maguey to nearly fill a single Montezuma cypress sabino wood fermentation vat, the dry fibers were left to rest and ferment for over 48 hours before around 500 liters of well water was added. The tepache was monitored over the course of 13 days before the flavors and aromas dictated their readiness for distillation. Carefully combining the hearts with bits of heads and tails, Eliazar composed 60 liters at 50.9% alc.
Agave Mixtape
Agave Mixtape brings the best agave spirits together in one place – your place. Agave Mixtape is a subscription based service. Subscribers receive boxes with three 200ml bottles from three different brands – Lalocura, Mal Bien, and Neta (and maybe a few surprises) – filled with batches picked especially for Agave Mixtape, and not available anywhere else in the USA. Each box includes production notes on the batches, along with links to photos, and virtual tastings with the people behind the brands and the mezcaleros. You can subscribe directly from their website.
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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RyeAmLegend
37 reviewsIncredibly herbal and almost anise nose. A sweet lemon and orange candy with big cucumber and bell pepper veg notes. Salty and mineral scent. Plastic frisbee left out in the sun. Smoked pineapple.
On the palate the citrus starts things off but quickly rotates with big roasted chili peppers. Wood ash and sweet lemon drops. Incredible mouth feel. Some black tea on the back end mellows out that roasty flavor nicely.
I’m still getting citrus candies like my grandmother used to give me. Fresh cut lumber and dried herbs. A nice chili-like heat. Bit of metallic, tin flavor. I was left wanting more as it was rather short lived.
This ensamble is lovely. Lots of fruit combined with a chili, metallic, minerality that I really enjoyed. The nose and palate shine with a smoked pineapple flavor. I am definitely going to seek out more from Eliazar and I hope more is imported. There is something special here for sure.
Incredibly herbal and almost anise nose. A sweet lemon and orange candy with big cucumber and bell pepper veg notes. Salty and mineral scent. Plastic frisbee left out in the sun. Smoked pineapple.
On the palate the citrus starts things off but quickly rotates with big roasted chili peppers. Wood ash and sweet lemon drops. Incredible mouth feel. Some black tea on the back end mellows out that roasty flavor nicely.
I’m still getting citrus candies like my grandmother used to give me. Fresh cut l
GreenspointTexas
385 reviewsNotes of lemongrass and pine. Some cedar somewhere in there. Sticky toffee pudding finish. Good
Zack Klamn
542 reviewsLot No.: ENSEGV2004
Nose: Celery. Soft leather. Cherry. Icing sugar.
Palate: Rockets/Sweet Tarts Halloween candy – the sweet aspect of it but not nearly as tart. Rubber. Slightly numbing in the mouth feel. Nice cigar finish. Picking up celery in the aftertaste.
El Dawg
227 reviewsGreat smell! Floral and scents of vanilla. Taste is soft & delicate – more vanilla, flowers, green notes (slight jalapeño in there), and some hotness at the end that didn’t seem to go away as the bottle got some airtime. I don’t get much of the tepextate notes that I love, but the softness and quality of this one is still great with this three agave ensamble. 4.25 stars.
AbbyNormal
5 reviewsAbsolutely loved this. Lots of dark berries, like black currants and blackberry. Some sort of fermented cream. A bit of old plastic bucket on the finish, but that can’t hurt how intoxicating the whole experience is. My partner adds: Menthol cigarettes after a teenage punk rock show (more metaphorically than literally), sweat and sweet malt liquor drinks, summer and danger and joy) Agave Mixtape #4 50.9% lot# ENSEGV2004
Jonny
729 reviewsAromas of cilantro, tomatillo, kale, and sweet bell peppers. Very clean on the nose. The palate is delicate. Notes of BubbleTape, Airheads, and leather. There’s a bit of heat on the back of the palate, but overall this is really nice.
Rakhal
430 reviewsWhat a great mix of Agaves! It’s very green with lots of Tepextate flavor. Fresh jalapeño, peppermint, and cilantro. Also vanilla bean, bubblegum, banana, palm sugar, and drying tobacco leaves. This is really good.