Palenque Tobaziche Juan Hernandez: discovering the terroir of Oaxaca

Palenque Tobaziche Juan Hernandez is an agave distillate produced from Maguey Tobaziche in the area of San Pedro Taviche, Ocotlàn, Oaxaca, by Juan Hernandez Luis, a fifth-generation Palenquero whose production, although based on traditions far removed from the scientific knowledge of fermentation and distillation, is of high quality thanks to long experience.

This project is the brainchild of Luca Gargano, who involved six producers from various villages in the state of Oaxaca, as well as the project coordinator Hector Vazquez. The idea is to create a map of the terroir of Oaxaca, of the various species of agave and the conditions in which they grow. The producers' approach is artisanal, with a few innovations, but they maintain a focus on the quality of the agave, the soil and the production process, each based on their own personal recipe.

This Palenque has a rich nose of lactic, herbaceous and vegetal hints, with a prevalence of sweet banana and seeds. The palate sees dulce de leche emerge first, with notes of ripe fruit and a touch of green pepper rounding out the sweet flavours.