Maestros del Agave - Chapter 2

Your Maestros del Agave journey:

Enter the World of

Maestros del Agave

Chapter 1

FERMENTATION

The Flavor Factory

Before the still, there’s fermentation. It’s where agave comes alive, turning sugar into alcohol and forming the first layers of aroma and texture. This chapter explores how fermentation shapes the spirit and sets the foundation for the journey ahead.

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Fermentation is where

Agave truly becomes a spirit

But fermentation does more than create alcohol. It builds aroma, texture, and personality long before distillation begins. After the agave is cooked and crushed, its sugars are exposed to yeast, which begins converting them into alcohol.

After the agave is cooked and crushed, its sugars are exposed to yeast, which begins converting them into alcohol. But fermentation does more than create alcohol. It builds aroma, texture, and personality long before distillation begins.

This stage is deeply influenced by environment. Yeast selection, temperature, time, water source, and fermentation vessels all shape the outcome. Some fermentations are tightly controlled for clarity and precision. Others are left open and expressive, allowing native yeasts to leave their mark.

The result? Bright, clean profiles or deeper, more complex character, and sometimes both.  Fermentation sets the foundation for everything that follows, making it one of the most defining steps in the agave journey.

Take a moment before tasting

Begin with aroma

Swirl gently and notice how each glass presents itself. Is it fresh or ripe, bright or earthy? Many of these first impressions are shaped during fermentation.

Take a small sip and let it move across your palate

Focus first on texture, then flavor. Is the profile crisp and clean, or round and layered? Pay attention to how sweetness, acidity, and structure come together.

Now move between the two glasses

Small differences become clearer in contrast. This is where balance, depth, and finish start to stand out. These distinctions aren’t accidental. They’re the result of choices made during fermentation.

Take your time. Revisit each glass, and let the differences guide you forward.

A Tale of Two Bottles

Side by side

Select a comparison method to explore the differences:

Volcan De Mi Tierra Blanco Tequila

Agave Expression:
The best of both worlds, with agaves from both regions bringing depth and complexity.
Texture & Structure:
Bright, yet earthy, with a rich oily mouthfeel.
Aromatic Profile:
Expressive and complex, showcasing cooked agave, earth, vegetal, fruity, and citrus notes.

Alto Canto Blanco Tequila

Agave Expression:
Sourced from a single estate in the Tequila Valley, earthy and mineral-driven.
Texture & Structure:
Fuller-bodied and slightly rounder, offering a more tactile, grounded presence.
Aromatic Profile:
Cooked agave, mint, lime, minerals and earth dominate the aroma.

Volcan De Mi Tierra Blanco Tequila

YEAST SELECTION:
A blend of yeast strains, including champagne and rum yeasts.
FERMENTATION CONTROL:
Controlled, yet left up to nature. Open air wood and closed stainless steel tanks, and fermentation with, and without, fibers.
FLAVOR IMPACT:
Expressive and complex, showcasing cooked agave, earth, vegetal, fruity, and citrus notes.

Alto Canto Blanco Tequila

YEAST SELECTION:
Wild fermentation - no yeast is added. The natural airborne yeast brings its unique personality.
FERMENTATION CONTROL:
Less restrictive conditions encourage complexity and a broader range of flavor compounds.
FLAVOR IMPACT:
Intense cooked agave, vanilla, salt/brine, black pepper, minerals and citrus notes.

ENHANCE YOUR TASTING

Alongside the bottles, you’ll find cooked agave syrup - another expression of the same plant, captured before fermentation begins.

TIME TO Mix Things Up

Shake, stir, and experiment with recipes designed to let each spirit shine.

THE ROQUREO

2 oz Volcan de Mi Tierra Blanco
.75 oz Gran Classico
.25 oz Lazzaronni Maraschino

Combine ingredients into a stirring vessel, stir and strain into a rocks glass with 1 large ice cube. Garnish with lemon peel.

TEQUILA NEGRONI

1 oz Alto Canto Blanco
1 oz Sweet Vermouth
.75 oz Aperol

Combine ingredients into a mixing glass, and stir until cooled and diluted. Strain into cocktail glass with 1 large ice cube. Orange peel as garnish.

AGAVILLO

2 oz Espresso
2 oz Volcan de Mi Tierra Blanco
.5 oz Respeto Agave Syrup

Combine ingredients in a cocktail shaker. Add ice and shake. Strain over cubed ice into a tumbler glass with a black salt rim. Garnish with a lime wedge.