Raicilla

Raicilla is an endemic Liquor produced in the State of Jalisco, Mexico. Raicilla is also made of Agave, like Tequila and Mezcal. The differnece between Raicilla and Tequila is; Tequila is produced of Blue Weber Agave, Raicilla is made of 5 different wild of cultivated grown Agave.

In Jalisco the Agaves grow in a hight of about 1200 meter in the Sierra Madre Occidental and at Sea Level at the North Coast. Thats the reason why there are 2 different types of Raicilla; Raicilla de la Sierra and Raicilla de la Costa

Raicilla de la Sierra is made from Maximiliana Baker, Inaequidens, Koch and Valenciana Agaves and Raicilla de la Costa from Angustfolia Haw and Rhodacantha.

There are a lot of Myths about Raicilla. Some say it has a hallucinogenic effect, energizing and an aphrodisiac.

Back in the days Raicilla with a strength of 55 – 60 % Alcohol was consumed by the Mine workers to handle the hard work. Now in the days Raicilla is produced with a strength between 38 – 40 % Alcohol, depends on the producer.

Raicilla contains less Methanol then Tequila. The NOM of Tequila allows up to 300 parts on a million of Methanol, while in Raicilla had only be found up to 140 parts on a million of Methanol.

The secret of a hand made Raicilla is that the Agaves get steamed in Ovens which are fired with wood. Once the Agaves are steamed they get smashed with a hammer in a wooden canoe style container and fermented in a natural way.