GENERATIONS OF TRADITION.

It starts with just a tiny seed. The families planting the agave have been familiar with this land for generations and meticulously maintain the fields to be organic and natural. This approach of semi-cultivation allows wild plants, bats, insects, and birds to thrive within the fields, promoting a healthy crop and imparting a distinctive flavor profile.

An agave matures only once in its lifetime. To harvest the plants, mezcaleros/as first remove the Quiote (the sprouting flower from the agave), then wait before trimming the outer leaves and unearthing the core of the plant, known as the piña.

The harvested piñas are halved and then roasted in pits lined with river stones. These stones are pre-heated with a wood fire, after which the piñas are placed inside, covered with shredded, dried agave pulp from earlier harvests, and roasted for three to seven days. The duration of roasting varies based on temperature, humidity, and the desired flavor profile.

Once the roasted piñas have cooled, they are cut into smaller sections and transferred to the tahona. This large stone wheel, pulled by a horse or donkey, crushes the piñas, preparing them for the fermentation process.

After being crushed into a mash, the agave shreds are transferred to open-air wooden fermentation tanks, where they are covered with water and left to ferment for about a week. Throughout this period, wild yeasts and microbes from the agave, the wooden tanks, and the ambient environment of the Palenque will convert the natural sugars into alcohol and enhance the flavor.

After fermentation is complete, the mash and liquid are transferred to wood-fired copper alembics (stills) equipped with a refrescador, commonly used in Ejutla, for filtering and refining the alcohol.

The design of this specific still includes a large pot that encases the head of the still and copper plates inside. The pot is continuously filled with cold water. This innovative setup facilitates what is affectionately known as the Happy Hour Distillation, achieving two distillations in one eight-hour pass. This process results in a mezcal that is light in smoke and rich with vibrant, verdant flavors.

Banhez is bottled and labeled by hand in Ejutla. Everyone involved in the process, from tending the agave plants to labeling the bottles, is a member of the Banhez Cooperative.

Given the lengthy maturation period required for most agave (the youngest used in Banhez is seven-year-old Espadín), it's crucial to plant more agave than we harvest to sustain the cycle. This ongoing process includes growing, harvesting, roasting, crushing, fermenting, distilling, bottling, and, finally, drinking!