It is no secret America is in love with agave spirits. They have become more mainstream than ever, and we are excited to see more producers coming into our market who are making spirits intentionally, ethically, and without additives (or, ahem, celebrities).
But more often than not, when we think of agave spirits from Mexico, we think of Tequila. It’s the most widely produced and exported Mexican spirit by a factor of 40, but it’s not the only agave spirit distilled in Mexico. Tequila’s success has paved the way and opened the gates for some of these other unique agave spirits to come to our market and we are here for it. We’re talking about Bacanora, Raicilla, and Sotol.
Bacanora is exclusive to the northern Mexican state of Sonora, sharing a name with the small village that sits at the foothills of the Sierra Madre Occidental mountain range. If you haven’t heard about this spirit, it’s probably because in 1915 the governor of Sonora banned production, and for 77 years it was illegal to distill. But of course, it was still made illegally in very small batches, and processes and recipes were handed down generation to generation in secret. In 1992, Bacanora legally resurfaced, and it’s been slowly making its way into our hearts ever since.
Bacanora is distilled with Agave Pacifica, which shares a scientific name with Espadín but is vastly different due to the Sonoran terrain that influences its flavor. Every bacanorero (bacanora distiller) makes their own style, either sticking to ancestral roots or opting for more modern production methods. Generally, it is softer on smoke than most mezcals, with an earthier profile than Tequila. A great choice for those who want to try a familiar agave from a different terroir.
On to Tequila’s cousin, Raicilla. It shares a home with Tequila in Jalisco (and one municipality in Nayarit, much to the disdain of the locals). It was known locally as “Mexican Moonshine” for its…
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