Don Jose passed the liquid wisdom he learned from his father, on to his son, Abdias, who crafts Luneta's Papalometl and Papalometl + Cupreata. In his later years, Don Jose could be found on the distillery in Tepenene Puebla, advising the younger generation on the specificities of crafting mezcal. Although his knees were weak and his back hunched, he would still lend a hand wherever he could. Unfortunately, Maestro mezcalero Don Jose Hilario De La Luz Isidro passed away at the age of 81, in 2021.  

​

Luneta's Pechuga De Mole Poblano is the last remaining 10.125 liters of a special batch made by Don Jose in 2012.

Agave:

In Don Jose's Pechuga De Mole Poblano, the master distiller began by harvesting mature agave popalometl, an heirloom varietal that takes 6 to 10 years to develop. 

Roast:

After shaving the agave heart to its core, Don Jose roasted them below ground in an earthen oven for 5 days. The oven was fueled by a blend of local woods atop volcanic rocks, covered with woven mats and soil.

​

Fermentation and milling:

Like his father before him and his son who proceeds his, Don Jose ferments the cooked agave hearts twice in bullhide sacs with potable water. The first time around, he ferments them whole. He and his team then mill them by hand using large wooden mallets. The crushed agave was refermented in the bullhide sacs for second time.