This
is raicilla. Also colloquially known as “Mexican moonshine”, it’s a
cousin of both tequila and mezcal. While it can be made anywhere, it’s a
specialty of the hills outside Puerto Vallarta in Jalisco. Ask for it
any bar in the southern part of the state and you’ll get a quick head
check to see who’s listening, a “Raicilla? Let me see”. When the clear
liquor is delivered to your table, locals speak, nodding sagely, of
raicilla coming from towns like El Tuito, Chacala, and Yelapa. If you’re
really persistent, you might even get them to part with a bottle (under
the table, about 400 pesos, cash only). It’s not taxed. It’s mostly not
even labelled. Because it isn’t regulated (or even approved) by the
Mexican government, you're never sure of the provenance or even what
proof it is. I’ve had it in wine bottles, Absolut bottles, Kirkland
water bottles, and the previously mentioned simple syrup bottles.
It’s
made from an agave plant, just not the same agave as either of the more
well-known spirits. Yellow agave, green agave, or anything else lying
around goes into a primitive copper still fired by roble, the oak that
clings to the hillsides of this mountainous region.
The
flavors can range from sweet, smoky, funky, even blue cheese or
oregano. Every bottle is different and just when you think you’ve got it
pinned down, you find another that defies your expectations. Since it’s
all joven (unaged), what you’re tasting is the pure agave essence that
went into every batch. And because it’s unlabelled and undocumented, you
can never be assured of getting the same bottle twice. One thing you
can be sure of, however, is that it’s going to be very powerful, fresh,
and taste like someone just made it in their backyard. Because they
probably did.
If
you’re in Mexico, you’re in luck: There’s a yearly raicilla festival in
Puerto Vallarta that showcases all the different varieties. Sampling
your way through the fest can be...dangerous. Luckily we got out of
there only having purchased seven bottles, including one infused with
cuatecomate (a weird black-shelled fruit that adds an amaro-like flavor but without the bitterness. Fun fact, cuatecomate shells are used traditionally as copitas to serve mezcal).
The
“Trini” bottle of raicilla comes from the town of Yelapa, bought at a tiny bar
halfway up the steep stroll to a beautiful waterfall. The owner’s name
is Trini, and his product comes from a guy further up the hill who’s
been making it for 50 years, and whose father made it before him. You
can’t get closer to the source than that.
There
is actually one brand of raicilla imported into the United States: La
Venenosa. This is an NDP (non-distilller producer) who buys up
quantities of raicilla from small distillers and sells them under its
own label. Every colour is from a different region, from a different
type of agave, and has a different flavour.
For
Denver-local drinkers, Palenque, a mezcal bar in the SoBo neighborhood,
carries multiple varieties of La Venenosa. They can range from $10 to
$30 a shot, far removed from the back-alley price you’ll find in Mexico.
As
far as cocktails, raicilla is all over the place depending of which
variety you get. If you’re ever down in Puerto Vallarta, swing by Joe
Jack’s Fish Shack and have bartender extraordinare Ary craft you one of
these. I have no idea what it’s called but it’s one amazing drink.
2oz rosemary-infused Hacienda Divisadero raicilla
1oz Averna
1/2 oz Cynar
3 oz fresh pineapple juice
Shake, strain over ice in a Tajín-rimmed rocks glass. Garnish with a rosemary sprig
13 East Louisiana
Denver, CO
Joe Jack's Fish Shack
Basilio Badillo 212
Puerto Vallarta, Jal.
Basilio Badillo 212
Puerto Vallarta, Jal.
