A love for the craft runs in the family: his daughter, Xitlali, works closely by his side in her pursuit to become the family’s second generation mezcalera.
M.
Mezcal
T.
Tequila
For the past 40 years, internationally recognized and award-winning Maestro Mezcalero Don Fortino Ramos has dedicated himself to mastering the art of distilling mezcal
Cultivate
We believe in order to best serve nature, we must listen to it and learn from it.
On ancestral Miztec land in Valles Centrales, Oaxaca, our agaves spend 8-12 years reaching their ripest maturity in different parts of the arid and sun-soaked valley. There is no one-size-fits-all approach to caring for each of our varietals.
Espadín, Tobalá and Salmiana vary in average size, each with its own personality and lifecycle that we must care for. To promote biodiversity, we plant three new wild agaves for every one hand-harvested and never use insecticides, enriching the land for all species calling it home.
Harvest
at full maturity, the rigorous and precise process of harvesting only the ripest agaves is entrusted to our few and fearless jimadores.
Individually hand-harvested, the jimadores call upon a centuries-old expertise to carve through the agave’s protective leaves.
The spiky protective leaves and roots are cut away using a machete to leave the piña. These hearts of the agave, often weighing 80-200 pounds, are where the sugars are concentrated and give life to what will ultimately be the curious spirit of The Lost Explorer Mezcal.
— oaxaca, méxico.
Cook
Here, we turn the piñas over to the fire.
Dug into the ground, conical earthen ovens lined with volcanic rock, reclaimed local wood, soil, and river stones are filled with piñas and covered with a tarp and soil. After 3 days of cooking, the piñas are then uncovered, letting the perfectly roasted agave rest and cool for 2-3 days.
Part of each batch is cooked in above-ground masonry brick ovens and the agaves are steamed for 30-36 hours. This improves the health conditions of our employees and lightens our environmental footprint by reducing wood usage and smoke emission, while still ensuring The Lost Explorer Mezcal’s signature earthy and subtly smoky flavors.
Mill
At this stage, the sweet-smelling roasted agaves are fully ground and macerated to break down the fibers and prepare the agave to take on full character in the fermentation stage. (We opt not to use a donkey-towed tahona as some traditional methods do because…
... well, there are other ways to do this that don’t involve four-legged friends.)
Ferment
Smoked and now with all fibers thoroughly exposed, the agave is transported to open-top oak barrels where they are set to rest in pure spring water as the wild yeasts find harmony with the elements. Fermentation occurs naturally, and these wild yeasts are unique to The Lost Explorer Mezcal palenque, another key factor in determining the character and taste of each mezcal varietal.
Knowing the yeast is a living organism that senses and perceives its surroundings, Maestro Mezcalero Fortino Ramos honors the natural timeline of the fermentation process. Patiently waiting, listening, and observing how the life of the yeast transforms sugar into alcohol, a wondrous gift for the next stage in the production process.
Distill
The liquid and agave fibers are placed into copper alembic stills, where they are double-distilled in small batches to achieve the purest and smoothest expression of the agave.
According to NOM legislation, mezcal must be between 35% and 55% alcohol by volume (ABV). A key skill of the Maestro Mezcalero is knowing when and where to make the cut. Don Fortino’s preferred bottling strength is 42% ABV, as he believes this offers the perfect balance of raw ingredients and alcohol. This signature style of The Lost Explorer Mezcal, produces a smooth, well-balanced, and elegant flavor that allows the full complexity of the agave to shine through.
Bottle
Finally, each uniquely profiled mezcal varietal is presented in glass bottles, made in Mexico from recycled crystal scraps, hand-labeled, sealed with natural biodegradable cork and finished with a kiss of natural beeswax.
Honoring the great sacrifice of the agave,
our small batch premium tequila is crafted
by legend maestro tequilero Enrique de Colsa
in the volcanic lowlands of Jalisco.
our small batch premium tequila is crafted
by legend maestro tequilero Enrique de Colsa
in the volcanic lowlands of Jalisco.
A celebration of the earth
with every sip
Visionary Maestro Tequilero Enrique de Colsa
Maestro Tequilero Enrique de Colsa has spent decades mastering the craft of high quality Tequila making. He brings his expertise and artistry to the lowlands for the first time, to make The Lost Explorer Tequila.
Uniquely cultivated, distilled and aged in sun-soaked Amatitán, Jalisco, the surrounding volcanic terroir gives The Lost Explorer Tequila a distinct minerality.
The Lost Explorer Tequila is a celebration
of the Earth and its heritage
of the Earth and its heritage
Cultivate
Our Blue Agave thrives in the volcanic lowlands region of Jalisco, spending 6 to 7 years absorbing the rich elements of the surrounding terroir.
The mineral-rich volcanic soil imparts a rich sweetness to the agaves, eventually enhancing the palate beautifully.
Harvest
Maestro Tequilero Enrique de Colsa personally selects the agave only at full maturity, collaborating closely with local jimadores to guarantee the highest quality, consistency, and care for the surrounding ecosystem.
Our jimadores, skilled in their craft, exclusively harvest fully mature and ripe agaves. This knowledge is passed down through generations and perfected through years of dedication. The large penca leaves of the agave are skillfully trimmed with a ‘coa’ to reveal the piña. The trimmed leaves are composted in the field, enriching the soil with valuable nutrients.
—
Within
the
rhythm
of Nature
of Nature
Cook
At The Lost Explorer we embrace the art slowness. Once harvested, the piñas are chopped into halves or quarters and cooked in hornos de mampostería (stone ovens) by means of steam injections. The piñas will cook from 48 to 60 hours, awakening sun-soaked aromas instilled throughout their lifecycle in the lowlands.
Grinding
The slow-cooked piñas are gently pressed through a roller mill to separate the agave fibers from the sweet agave juice. It is these natural sugars that define the essence of the tequila.
Fermentation
This is just one moment where mastery meets experimentation. The sweet agave juice undergoes fermentation using champagne yeast, a process spanning 1 to 15 days, resulting in a refined, herbaceous flavor.
Distillation
The Lost Explorer Tequila undergoes a carefully observed double distillation process in small batches, providing Maestro Tequilero Enrique de Colsa with precise control. This method separates the alcohol from fermented agave, with the initial distillation occurring in a small stainless steel pot before transitioning to another small copper pot still for the second distillation. This careful combination results in vibrant citrusy, herbaceous, and mineral notes, complemented by a subtle sweetness.
At this point The Lost Explorer Tequila Blanco is ready to be bottled in bespoke bottles made locally in Mexico, using over 55% recycled crystal scraps.
Each bottle is then sealed with natural fully biodegradable wax made from beeswax and vegan wax resins sourced from indigenous communities in Oaxaca and Coahuila.
