Dolores resides in the southern Sierra of Yerbaniz Batopilas, Chihuahua. The region, terroir, wooden still, hand crushed by ax agave, the single fermentation vat over 100 years old, and tiny bit of sotol added to the fermentation make this month’s feature unlike any other before it. This 340 liter batch of Lechuguilla is what Dolores has begun bottling into his local brand called Cumbrita de la Sierra that he hopes to grow into an international brand. Our friend at Time & Tequila caught wind of his active social media promotions and sent us a text to check it out. A sample and immediate offer to participate in the club thereafter ensued. Due to the difficulties of reaching the palenque, a very limited production season, and minor security concerns, we didn’t have the chance to visit Dolores in person, but our 2 hour zoom interviewed revealed a maestro extremely knowledgeable in his local history, terrain, and the various details of his process that make his Lechuguilla not only unique to southern states, but also to his counterparts in Chihuahua. His process and palenque appear to be one of the most ancestral ways of making agave spirits and the ocasional sotol. This is the first time the spirit has been debuted internationally and the first time the club has ventured this far north into Mexico. Follow along this month to learn about this region, process, plant, and the man behind the young and growing brand, Cumbrita de la Sierra.
