Less known Mexican spirits
Get to know the spirit of these succulent less known Mexican spirits through their essence, through that unique distillation process.
Spirits, as they are known, are all alcoholic beverages derived from a distillation process, regardless of their raw materials and initial form. It is basically a generic term that encompasses all distilled spirits under one commercial classification.
Spirits can be brandies, liqueurs, or bitters, and there are several theories about the origin of the term “spirits.” One of them suggests that during the distillation process, the first alcohols in the beverage evaporate. Distillers of the time (probably in the 13th century) believed that this phenomenon was caused by spirits.
Another widely circulated theory suggests that many spirits were originally concocted as medicinal elixirs. When mixed or macerated with herbs and medicinal fruits, these beverages were believed to cure various illnesses and even “revive the dead.” Hence, when a person in a state of illness was cured by one of these drinks, it was said that their spirit had returned.
The most recent theory, and perhaps the most relevant, explains that the spirit or essence of the product is what is obtained through distillation. Hence, the use of the term “spirits.” With these ideas in mind, let’s delve into Mexican spirits.
Bacanora
This is a distilled spirit originating from the state of Sonora, produced through cooking, fermentation, and distillation, much like tequila, sotol, or raicilla. It is made from the Agave Angustifolia Haw or the agave espadin or yaquiana. Typically, it is a colorless, high-alcohol content beverage, ranging from 38% to 55% alcohol by volume.
Charanda
Charanda is a beverage obtained by fermenting and distilling sugarcane, whether using juice, molasses, piloncillo, or molasses. The resulting beverage might resemble rum but has a much higher sugar content. As a result, charanda has a sweeter taste and is more aromatic.
Posh / Pox
It is an alcoholic beverage distilled from a fermented mixture of piloncillo and maize, originating from Chiapas. It has been traditionally and artisanally distilled in rustic stills from a base ferment of piloncillo cane, flavored with maize. This product mainly originates from the regions of San Cristóbal de las Casas and San Juan Chamula. With its origins in Maya culture, it was and still is used by traditional healers among the Tzeltales and Tzotziles of Chiapas (known as “j’ilol”) during rituals and religious ceremonies.
Raicilla
Raicilla is a beverage originating from the distillation of a variety of agave species found in the Western Sierra and Northern Coast of Jalisco. Raicilla holds a significant symbolic identity within the culture and cosmology of Jalisco.
Sotol
An alcoholic beverage made from plants known as sotol or sereque, cultivated in northern Mexican states like Coahuila, Durango, and Chihuahua, in desert regions. The Raramuris and Anasazis have been producing this beverage for over 800 years.
Yolixpa
The last one from the less known Mexican spirits is a Mexican beverage that results from the fusion of traditional herbal remedies used by ancient healers in the northern Sierra of Puebla and the sugarcane spirits introduced by Europeans, linked to the Nahua and Totonac cultures.
