Estancia Raicilla is a distinctive agave spirit crafted in the highlands of Jalisco from the renowned Agave maximiliana. Our process begins by cooking the agave piñas for two days in above-ground ovens made from red clay, imparting a unique character to the spirit. Once cooked, the piñas are crushed and left to naturally ferment in open oak barrels and clay amphoras, using wild yeast to develop their complex flavors.
The resulting Raicilla offers a delicate balance of floral and vegetal notes, with fruity hints of citrus, pear, and plum. Known for its fragrant aroma and versatility, Estancia Raicilla de la Sierra stands apart from its agave cousins, tequila, and mezcal, making it an exceptional choice for sipping or mixing into creative cocktails.
| Type | Raicilla |
|---|---|
| Volume | 750 mL |
| ABV | 45% |
| Master Distiller / Maestro | La Estancia de Landeros, Jalisco |
| Country of Origin | Mexico |
| Region/CRU | Sierra Madre Occidental |
| La Estancia de Landeros, Jalisco | |
| Source | Agave: Maximiliana |
| Fermentation Vessel | Clay Amphoras & Oak Vats |
| Distillations | Double-distilled |
| Batch Size | 500 Liters |
At Estancia, we take pride in distilling the finest Tequilana agave, crafting a distillate that embodies tradition and the natural beauty of our region.
Our process begins with the careful harvesting of the agave hearts, or piñas, which are then slowly baked in traditional adobe ovens for several days. After baking, the piñas are crushed and placed in open clay amphoras, where they undergo natural fermentation using indigenous wild yeasts. This ancient technique allows the true essence of the agave to develop.
The spirit is then distilled twice in our custom-made copper pot stills, resulting in a refined, aromatic profile. Estancia Raicilla Tequilana captures fresh notes of mint, freshly cut grass, and a medley of spices, creating a truly classic distillate that reflects the unique terroir of the Sierra Madre.
| Volume | 750 mL |
|---|---|
| ABV | 43% |
| Master Distiller / Maestro | La Estancia de Landeros, Jalisco |
| Country of Origin | Mexico |
| Region/CRU | Sierra Madre Occidental |
| La Estancia de Landeros, Jalisco | |
| Source | Agave: Alfredo Salvatierra |
| Fermentation Vessel | Clay amphoras |
| Distillations | Double-distilled |
| Batch Size | 400 Liters |
At Estancia, we honor the rich traditions of harvest and community with our Pechuga de Guajolote—a spirit crafted with love and artisanal care. Every ingredient is locally sourced from the town of La Estancia de Landeros and is 100% organic. The unique blend includes turkey, toasted almond, Hierba del Golpe (Oenothera rosea), roasted pumpkin seeds, quince, apple, plum, lemon leaves, orange and lima peels, and fragrant rose petals.
Our Pechuga is based on Estancia Raicilla, distilled in the highlands of Jalisco from wild, pit-roasted Agave maximiliana piñas. The process includes a triple distillation in traditional copper pot stills, resulting in a spirit that beautifully captures the flavors and aromas of the region.
| Volume | 750 mL |
|---|---|
| ABV | 48% |
| Master Distiller / Maestro | La Estancia de Landeros, Jalisco |
| Country of Origin | Mexico |
| Region/CRU | Sierra Madre Occidental |
| La Estancia de Landeros, Jalisco | |
| Source | Agave: Maximiliana |
| Fermentation Vessel | Clay Amphoras |
| Distillations | Triple distilled |
| Batch Size | 250 Liters |
The Razo family, now in their fourth generation, has been producing exceptional agave-based spirits in a region known for its pulque for millennia. For centuries, the pulque crafted in San Isidro has been sold by the Del Razo family in traditional pulquerías across Puebla and Mexico City. Today, they continue this rich tradition with their unique Destilado de Pulque, an agave distillate made from the sap of the Salmiana-Manso agave.
The sap, or aguamiel, is collected daily over three months and naturally ferments into pulque. Unlike other agave spirits, the agave is never cooked, preserving the raw essence of the plant. This results in a distillate with vibrant green and earthy aromas that burst on the nose, showcasing the distinct characteristics of the Agave salmiana.
| Volume | 750 mL |
|---|---|
| ABV | 46% |
| Master Distiller / Maestro | Rancho San Isidro |
| Country of Origin | Mexico |
| Region/CRU | Tlaxcala |
| Rancho San Isidro | |
| Source | Agave: Salmiana-Manso |
| Fermentation Vessel | Fiberglass vats |
| Distillations | Double-distilled |
| Batch Size | 500 Liters |
Estancia Distillery crafts premium Mexican spirits rooted in tradition, artistry, and sustainability. Specializing in small-batch agave spirits, we honor Mexico's cultural heritage while exploring agave’s versatility. Each bottle reflects our commitment to quality, authenticity, and the rich tradition of Mexican craftsmanship.
At Estancia, we use a traditional method to preserve the rich flavors of our agave. Our agaves are slow-cooked for 2.5 days in adobe brick ovens heated by oak wood, sealed with wet clay for an airtight environment. This process balances the smoky flavor of pit-roasted mezcal with the smoothness of steam-cooked tequila. After cooking, we use a stainless steel grinding machine, crafted in the town of Tequila, to crush the agave and extract its juices. This blend of time-honored cooking and modern extraction techniques creates a spirit that embodies the essence of both Raicilla and Tequila.
At Estancia, we use a natural wild yeast fermentation process in an open-air environment to capture the authentic character of our agave.
Our fermentation process is a careful balance between tradition and control, ensuring a rich and consistent profile while staying true to the natural characteristics of our wild yeast.
We ferment our raicilla using traditional wooden vats and clay amphorae, with the fermentation process varying in length depending on the season and the sugar content of the agave. During the cooler winter months (December to April), fermentation takes longer, averaging around 12 days. In contrast, the warmer months (April to October) see a shorter fermentation period of about 8 days. The extended fermentation in winter, combined with higher sugar levels, results in lighter, more floral notes in the final product.
Additionally, the diverse seasonal fruits that grow around our distillery, such as plum, coffee, guava, apple, orange, mango, lemon, papaya, and passion fruit, subtly influence the unique flavor profile of our raicilla.
During the wet season (June to November), the agave’s brix levels average around 14. However, by the end of the dry season (May/June), when agave sugars are most concentrated, the brix levels rise to an average of 30. This variation is due to sugar dilution, especially in wild-harvested Maximiliana. During the wet season, the agave is shaded by surrounding leaves and vegetation, limiting its exposure to sunlight and preventing it from drying out as it absorbs more water.
We use traditional pot stills made of copper and stainless steel for distillation, heated with fire and sealed using maseca paste (a ground corn maize commonly used for making tortillas).
During the first distillation, we remove only the foreshots, capturing the rest of the liquid until the alcohol volume in the boiler drops below 5%.
For the second distillation, we carefully make our heads and tails cuts based on both taste and alcohol percentage, ensuring a refined and balanced final product.
Rancho San Isidro is a vibrant collective of over 40 families dedicated to producing 3,000 liters of fresh Pulque daily. Located just 10 minutes from Nanacamilpa, in the state of Tlaxcala, and only an hour from Mexico City, the ranch is at the heart of traditional Pulque production.
Led by the Razo family, fifth-generation Pulque producers, Rancho San Isidro supplies the finest Pulque to top Pulquerías in Mexico City. It is also where Estancia Destilado de Pulque is crafted, ensuring the highest quality and authenticity in every batch of this unique spirit.
At Rancho San Isidro, the process of extracting agua miel begins by carefully removing the central spike from the heart of the agave, creating a bowl-shaped cavity. Each day, the Tlachiqueros, skilled agave workers, scrape the inside of this cavity with a special shaving spoon, allowing fresh agua miel to slowly seep out.
At Rancho San Isidro, the Tlachiqueros collect agua miel twice a day from the Salmiana Manso Agave, yielding about 20 liters per plant daily—10 liters in the morning and 10 liters in the afternoon—over a period of 3 to 4 months. This meticulous process is the first step in crafting our exceptional Pulque and Destilado de Pulque.
Once the agua miel is collected and transferred to the tinacals, it undergoes a 48-hour fermentation process, transforming from a sweet, clear liquid into the rich and viscous Pulque. The fermentation time may vary slightly depending on the temperature and sugar content, but this careful process ensures the perfect balance of flavors in every batch.
We collect the spent liquid left in the still after distillation, known as viñaza, and store it in concrete holding tanks. After drying it in open troughs, we combine it with sun-dried bagazo (the fibrous solid waste from production). This mixture is then used as a combustible fuel to heat our ovens and stills. Additionally, we provide some of the bagazo to a local adobe brick maker in La Estancia, where it is mixed with clay to produce traditional adobe bricks.
We have planted over 40,000 Maximiliana agave seedlings on our 100-hectare (247-acre) property near Ayutla, Jalisco. Each year, we collect seeds from flowering agave plants and germinate them in our nursery. After one to two years of careful nurturing, the seedlings are replanted on our land during the wet season.
Our location was specifically chosen for agave cultivation due to its red and yellow clay soils, natural oak and pine tree vegetation, ideal soil pH, and high altitude (2,200 meters / 7,000 feet above sea level). We practice semi-cultivation, meaning we plant around the existing vegetation to preserve the natural flora and fauna. This less intensive method helps maintain the biodiversity of the land, which is a core value for us.
Our bottles are handcrafted from 100% recycled glass, with each batch featuring a unique blend of recycled materials that results in subtle variations in color tones. We prioritize sustainability in our packaging by using untreated cardboard cases, which are more environmentally friendly, breaking down easily without the use of chemical bleaches. This approach reflects our commitment to eco-conscious practices throughout our production process.
We believe that plastic containers can introduce unwanted chemical compounds and flavors into high-proof alcohol. That's why, from the very beginning, we've committed to keeping our spirits free from plastic contact at every stage. We ferment in wood and clay vats, collect our distillate in glass carboys, and store our batches in stainless steel tanks to ensure the purity and quality of our product.
The water source is essential to crafting a high-quality spirit, and we take great care in selecting the best. For fermentation, we use mineral-rich water from a natural spring that flows from a rock face in the mountain ridge above our distillery. This naturally aerated water contains the perfect balance of calcium and magnesium ions, ensuring a healthy fermentation process with the ideal pH levels. To proof our spirit down to 45% ABV, we use purified rainwater collected from Pacific Ocean rain clouds, which we believe to be the purest form of clean water.
