Emigdio Jarquin Ramirez, third generation mezcalero, is one of the newest distillers to the Vago portfolio.
While his history in the industry is much longer, his first label under Mezcal Vago appeared in 2015. Emigdio distills in the municipality of Miahuatian de Porfirio Dias, at around 5000 feet above sea level, and about 2 ½ hours south of Oaxaca City. Many of the best mezcaleros across the region have family ties leading back to this small village.
In this high altitude, arid climate, many of the most sought-after varietals of agave grow. Emigdio specializes in Espadin, Mexicano, Tobala, Tepeztate, Arroqueno Madre Cuixe and Cuixe. Pinas (the heart of the agave plant) are placed in an earthen pit that can hold up to 7 tons of fresh agave. The hearts are buried and cooked under coals for 5 to 7 days. This is one of the longest cooking processes by any mezcalero. Once the pinas are softened to make the fermentable sugars more accessable, they are sat out in the sun for two weeks before being crushed using a classic tahona wheel. The juice is placed in wood fermenting vats where conversion to alcohol lasts about three days. A classic copper still is used for double distillation.
Cuishe is a part of the Karwinski family of agave, just like Madrecuishe, Emigdio’s signature bottling.
Both types agave are similar in style, and both come from the same region of Miahuatlan, though Cuishe tends to be slightly drier, and shows more vegetal and woody notes. While Cuishe is generally a wild species, it is possible to cultivate the plant. Emigdio makes an extremely small amount, as Cuishe takes 12 years to grow, and is only able to release a single batch each year. This year we are incredibly lucky to have Emigdio’s batch bottled as a Mike’s Wine & Spirits + Monarch Bar exclusive!
When we asked Dylan Sloan, owner of Mezcal Vago, what it takes to make a batch of Cuishe, he replied that Emigdio picked 90 pinas totaling 1900kg of agave. While this seems like a lot, a normal batch of Madrecuishe fills his entire oven, totaling 8000kg!
This batch of Mezcal Vago is available now at all three of our Mike’s locations. While its easy to be bias, we all agree that this one is the full package, one of the most delicious agave spirits we’ve ever tried!
Cheers!
Brookside
21 West 63rd Street
Kansas City, MO 64113
(816) 701-6546
Westport
1110 Westport Road
Kansas City, MO 64111
(816) 561-3500
Waldo
8447 Wornall Road
Kansas City, MO 64114
(816) 363-3984