Raicilla

Raicilla was distilled quietly in western Jalisco for centuries before earning its own Denomination of Origin. Two broad families exist: coastal raicilla from the Puerto Vallarta side, and sierra raicilla from the mountains around Mascota and Talpa.

Many producers ferment with wild yeast in open pine vats and distil in small stills — some using Filipino-style hollow log and clay setups. Cooking is often done in an above-ground oven rather than a smoke pit, so raicilla frequently has little to no smoke.

Expect ripe fruit, cheese rind, olive brine and green herbs. It is one of the most distinctive and least standardised agave categories on the shelf.