The man who started making mezcal at 9-years-old

Tasting mezcal in Santa Catarina Minas with one of the best producers in the state -Don Félix- is a truly an unforgettable experience.

Here, they continue to practice the ancestral method of mezcal production. That means no machinery, no shortcuts… everything is done entirely by hand. It’s labor-intensive, physically demanding work and the flavor is phenomenal.

The process starts by roasting the agave in underground pits for around six days, then allowing it to rest and ferment naturally for about eight more. Then comes distillation, done with only wood fire and clay pot stills, one batch at a time. All crafted in Don Félix’s palenque, which is his own home.

Minas is known for this kind of production—but even here, Don Félix stands out. They don’t use the traditional stone mill, the tahona, like in other regions. Instead, they mash the roasted  agave by hand using a wooden batton, a rare and powerful tradition that is emblematic to this village.

On our visit to his palenque, we taste over 26 different types of mezcal. Other agaves brought from different villages around Oaxaca, some are cultivated, and some grown in the wild in remote places, where trucks cannot get there so they collect the agave by donkeys or horses to bring them down from the mountains. The agave that grows the fastest is espadín up to 7 years there is other ones like tepextate takes about 15 to 20 years to grow. These offer different flavor profiles. Some types of agave are: Espadín, tobasiche, tobalá, coyote, arroqueňo, madrecuish, papalome, cucharillo, tepextate, jabalí and many more.

Every spirit offered here reflects Don Félix’s deep knowledge and creativity, passed down from his father and grandfather. He was initiated to the trade since he was 9 years old. His son Jesús, is now taking part in the process and is as passionate as his father.

After the tasting, we are invited to take some home and there’s no mezcal bottled or labeled ahead of time, if you want one, they will bottled and label it right there and then. It’s mezcal made with soul. There’s no marketing, no middleman… just tradition, fire, and your name on a bottle filled with pure Oaxaca.

Un abrazo,
Kaelin

Discover more about our tours where we visit Don Félix
Seasons of My Heart

or inquire about a private mezcal tasting
during your stay in Oaxaca