Riding the tailwind of a decades-long mezcal and tequila boom, a number of new and popular Mexican spirits are thrilling connoisseurs and complementing years of hard work by promoters and producers. Heirloom concoctions like pox and sotol, and experiments with distilling gin and whiskey, suddenly became a hot topic across Mexico and in bars north of the border.
If you haven't heard of some of these, we don't blame you, but if you don't join the mix, you'll be left out. Here are some Mexican spirits you should know about and the best places to try them for the first time.
Pox: the ancestral drink of the Tzotzil family
Pox has deep roots in Mexico's mystical state of Chiapas and is only just beginning to emerge on the mainstream alcohol market. (Isabelle Mateos/Quartoscuro)
Hailing from the southern state of Chiapas, pox (pronounced posh) is thought to originate from a drink made from fermented corn by the Tzotzil Maya over a century ago. Today's potent, alcoholic variola is made from a blend of corn, wheat, and sugar cane, and a good variola is high in corn and has an AVB of 40 or higher. In a good variola, you'll notice the sweetness of the piloncillo sugar and the strong flavor of the indigenous corn used to make it. Pox is one of the least publicized spirits on this list and has been used for generations in religious rituals and homemade medicine by the region's indigenous peoples. It's only recently that pox have begun moving out of the rural mountains of Chiapas and invading local bars that showcase Mexico's eclectic regional spirit.
If you're looking for a taste of this time-honored elixir, try the restaurants La Talumba or Tierra y Cielo in San Cristóbal de las Casas. There you'll find cocktails made with local pox. Or try a bar like Mexico City's Rayo, which blends pox and maestro. His is one of 10 signature cocktails, including Dauber Diamante Tequila, Purple Sweet Potato, Lime and Palo Santo. To buy your own bottle, try female-owned and operated Poxuna, a brand from Chiapas sold at Mexico City's Sabra Dios Liquor Store and San Cristobal's Tasting Room La Espirituosa.
Charanda: Not your average Cuban Libre person
Charanda from Michoacán has an official designation of origin, meaning that both its production and distillation methods are regulated and protected as intellectual property. Anything that does not meet certain conditions cannot be called a Charanda. Charanda from Michoacán, often compared to rum, has special qualities. The highland sugarcane varieties used as raw materials have a higher sugar content than the lowerland varieties, and the region's mountain spring water gives the region's spirit a unique flavor.
When making charanda, additional sugar or piloncillo is added to the sugarcane juice during fermentation, distinguishing this process from the traditional rum process. Charanda can be divided into three categories: the unaged Blanca, the middle-aged Dorado, and the darkest and mellowest Añejo. Añejo is often aged in bourbon or sherry barrels, which adds complexity to the flavor. Charanda can be enjoyed just like rum — Cuba Libre, anyone? — but for something a little more upscale, El Gallo Altanero in Guadalajara offers two types of charanda, peach, falernum syrup, grapefruit, and sweet lime. We serve Duranzo Mojado with juice, orange liqueur and black pepper. Uruapan, the birthplace of chalanda, is home to La Hisalanderia, where you'll find one of the widest selections of quality chalandas in the country.
Raicilla: underground mezcal is back
Raicilla manufacturers are quick to let you know that this liquor is a type of mezcal, just as tequila is a type of mezcal, but raicilla is a type of mezcal in a few municipalities in the states of Jalisco and Nayarit. It is made from agave. state.
Raicilla, a derivative of mezcal, is an artisan spirit from the states of Jalisco and Nayarit. (Jalisco Geographical Information Institute)
In contrast to mezcal production, where only the agave core is cooked, crushed, and fermented, some raisilla production includes all parts of the agave plant. This gives these varieties a more fibrous flavor, often less sweet and more woody than mezcal. During colonial times, Spain banned the production of this type of mezcal, so local producers “renamed” mezcal to raicilla, and production went underground. Raicilla's big comeback moment occurred in the 2010s, when consumption and sales of raicila catapulted it onto the national stage.
Most raisilla is still produced 100% by artisans, using only basic equipment such as copper stills and hand mashers in the distillation process. Raicilla became popular with the rise of mezcal and has its own designation of origin for its region and production. If you want to taste the sauce, try La Taverna, a bar run by the Mexican Council for the Promotion of Raicilla (CMPR) in Mascota, Jalisco. Or try the El Cucumber cocktail, blended with raisilla, at De La O in Guadalajara. Japo, lime, green chartreuse, orange bitters.
Sotol: The Gem of the Desert
The reanimator at Café do Nadi in Mexico City is Flor de Desierto Sierra Sotol and “chinampa vermouth” (an infusion of vermouth, white wine, and herbs grown in the canals south of the city); Furthermore, paid bitters and citrus oil are blended to create a refreshing bitter and alcoholic taste. Sotol is often confused with mezcal, but its flavor profile tends to be a bit tangy and is often described as more herbal or citrusy. Desert Spoon Sotol, made from the cactus, is mainly produced in the northern desert states of Chihuahua, Durango, and Coahuila, but it is also found across the border in Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas, but it is generally considered a Mexican spirit. It is being
Its history goes back to the area's indigenous peoples who used the desert spoon cactus to make a fermented beverage, except for the distillation process that came with European colonizers. The process for making sotol is similar to that for mezcal. Piña, or the heart of the plant, is cooked in a stone or earthen hole in the ground, then mashed and fermented for several days until distilled. Often multiple times, depending on the profile sought by the sotol manufacturer.
Like many spirits in Mexico, sotol has its roots in indigenous communities. (Casa Lumbre Spirits/Instagram)
Bacanora, the outlaw who rose again
Bacanora is another style of mezcal produced in a group of municipalities in the southeastern state of Sonora, which borders the neighboring state of Chihuahua. Made from a single plant, the Pacifica agave, Bacanora is generally less smoky and more minerally, with a certain woody flavor, than mezcal from Oaxaca. Bacanora can also be distinguished by the yellow and golden hue inside the bottle.
Bacanora's history dates back hundreds of years when the indigenous people of the area made an alcoholic drink from the same type of agave. Its production was temporarily outlawed in 1915, when the governor and future president, Plutarco Elias Calles, decided to crack down on the illegal production of alcohol. This decision was reversed in his 1960s, and Bacanora production was reinstated, regulated, and named the beloved regional spirit. Two great options for Bacanora are Batuk and Ross his Amavisca. If you're in Mexico City, stop by Trecan He Bar and try the vampiro, which is a blend of bacanora, orange he juice, chili pepper and salt.
Whiskey: A fusion of foreign and indigenous varieties
Whiskey is growing in popularity in Mexico, and while not indigenous to the country's alcohol production, today's producers are combining the unique characteristics of the 59 traditional corn varieties available throughout Mexico with the European-born, It combines the age-old traditions of whisky-making. It was brought to the Americas during the colonial period.
Some of the best Mexican whiskey I've tried is from the Cuatro Volcanes distillery in Tlaxcala state. The distillery has been producing alcoholic beverages since 2019 using locally grown small-batch corn. Their small distillery and cocktail bar is located in a residential area of ​​Tlaxcala. In addition to whiskey, the city of Tlaxcala is also experimenting with gin, absinthe, fruit brandy, and other liqueurs made from local plants and fruits. In Mexico City, you can try many spirits at Ochollano Tasting His Room. Here you will find all the spirits mentioned in this article. If you want even more options, there are also several Mexican whiskey options, including Juan del Campo, Origen 35, and Gran Tunal.
Although not as famous as Caledonian or American whisky, Mexican whiskey is still worth tasting. (Cuatro Volquenes/Facebook)
Fruit brandy: the latest trend in Mexico
Mexican fruit brandies and liqueurs are just beginning to creep onto bar shelves and cocktail menus. Many are made in areas where other spirits or wines are produced, as a way to efficiently utilize leftover fruit production, or in the event of a poor harvest or when producers do not have the money to purchase large quantities of wine. It is used as an alternative to making mezcal. They need agave. In such cases, they may turn to surplus mango harvests, or in the case of Vinos Barrigones, the absence of a mezcalo to lead the mezcal distillery (located in the middle of the vineyards) due to the events of the pandemic. There was found. They decided to create a cob, and the first brandy was born.
Brandy and liqueurs offer a wide range of flavor profiles depending on the producer, with some of Mexico's vast cultivated and wild fruit flavors including tejocote (Mexican hawthorn), nonce, and prickly pear flavors being some of the wilder experiments. A great showcase for the breed.
If ever there was a zeitgeist moment for Mexican spirits, it's now. With the increased awareness of all these spirits, it's a great time to start branching out into different spirits. The growth of cocktail culture across the country is pushing for new and creative ways to incorporate alcoholic beverages into drink menus. For flavors that truly express Mexico's land and people, the spirit of the region offers a flavor unlike any other.
Lydia Carey is a freelance writer and translator based in Mexico City. She has been writing about Mexico for over a decade and has been widely published both online and in print. She lives a double life as a local tour guide, and she is also the author of Mexico City Streets: La Roma. Follow her urban adventures on Instagram and see more of her work at www.mexicocitystreets.com.
