This extraordinary Papalote comes from Javier Barranca, heir to the land, fabrica, and accumulated knowledge of his grandfather and mentor, the late Don Ciro Barranca. One of Javier’s first releases following Don Ciro’s passing in 2022, it was produced from capón Papalote, or Agave cupreata, grown in the neighboring community of Pantitlán. The agaves had their flowering stalks cut and were left standing for approximately two years before harvest, allowing their stored energy to concentrate within the piñas and contributing additional depth and complexity. The agaves were roasted for four to five days in a ten-ton earthen oven, rested for a day, mechanically milled, and fermented for five to seven days in ayacahuite wood vats with local spring water. The mezcal was twice distilled in 400-liter copper alembics and adjusted with puntas and colas. Bottled in April 2024 at 49% ABV, this profound continuation of the Barranca family legacy yielded just 266 bottles.