it begins in the soil
01 / 06 · harvesting and selection
Agaves grow for years in the Sierra. Once mature, they are selected and their leaves are removed during harvest to reveal the hearts, known as piñas.
Tesoro del Oeste · San Sebastián del Oeste
our artisanal process
At our distillery in San Sebastián del Oeste, the agave passes through fire, milling, natural fermentation, distillation and rest.
Every step calls for time, hands-on work and decisions that shape the raicilla we make.
fire transforms the agave
02 / 06 · roasting
The agave hearts cook slowly over wood in a masonry oven, sealed with clay. Around 72 hours of heat soften the fibers and develop aromas that will carry through to the raicilla.
working the agave by hand
03 / 06 · milling
Once cooked, the agave is crushed with a wooden mallet in a canoe-shaped trough. Breaking the fibers releases the juices that move on to fermentation.
fermentation sets its own pace
04 / 06 · natural fermentation
The fibers and juices rest in wooden vats. Microorganisms from the environment naturally transform their sugars; over several days, the climate and each batch begin to shape its character.
the maker selects the heart
05 / 06 · distillation
The fermented agave goes into Arab-Mexican style stills made of stainless steel with a copper coil. The raicilla maker separates the fractions and keeps the heart of each distillation.
time brings each expression together
06 / 06 · rest and bottling
Before bottling, the raicilla rests in glass. It is then filtered, and each bottle is prepared at the distillery to share the result of that work.
from the Sierra to your glass
six stages, many expressions
Agave, weather and fermentation vary with each batch. The craft lies in paying attention and making the right decisions along the way.
