This article was originally published in GQ .
There are various spirits produced in Mexico, beyond tequila, mezcal, sotol and more. Gin, rum, vodka, whiskey and more are also produced in our country.
By Emma Sibaja and Jesus Alberto German
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Do you want to know which spirits are made in Mexico , those that are 100% Mexican? It is always a good excuse to review the best labels made (proudly) in our country. Discover them and try them, we are sure that they will surprise you.
Don Julio Tequila 1942
This is a tribute (and what a tribute!) to Don Julio González and the year in which he began his dream of making tequila . This distillate is produced in small batches and aged for at least 30 months, resulting in one of the best drinks on the national and international market.
Gin Condesa
By blending various botanicals such as palo santo, sage, jasmine, xoconostle, orange blossom, coriander seeds and more, master distiller Hillhamn Salomé and her all-female team have handcrafted , in a micro-distillery in Mexico City , two premium gin labels (Clásica and Xoconostle y Azahar), which find their inspiration in Mexico and the Condesa neighborhood. These two versions join the list of the best Mexican gins and Mexican spirits .
Extra Aged Family Reserve
We are looking at the “patriarch” of extra-aged tequilas , those that are enjoyed sip by sip. This distillate is produced from select agaves up to 12 years old. The word “artisanal” is present throughout the entire creation process: from the selection of the pineapple to the bottling.
Prima Rosa Gin
Ten botanicals from various regions of Mexico —including wild lavender, rosemary, sage from the Guadalupe Valley, hoja santa from Oaxaca, lemon peel from Yucatán, roses, epazote, and ginger from Ensenada—combine with juniper berries and coriander seeds in this corn-based drink, which is distilled five times. Without a doubt, a gin that stands out for its herbaceous and floral flavors.
Nixta corn liqueur
This Mexican liqueur is ideal for drinking on the rocks or as an element of a classic cocktail or digestive. This exquisite corn liqueur is made from the best tender cacahuazintles macerated in a corn distillate and sweetened with clarified sweet must. This liqueur stands out for its notes of roasted esquite, corn bread, dried fruit and candied nuts.
Native Californian Gin
Unique and artisanal gin made with endemic plants and botanicals from both sides of the border. With botanicals such as California Juniper, California Artemisia, Yerba Santa, California hops, seaweed, white sage and damiana. It is characterized by being herbal and leaving a medium and fresh bitter aftertaste.
Dobel 50 Crystalline Onora
Yes, your eyes are not deceiving you, this is a crystal-clear extra-aged spirit that is part of a special edition presented by Maestro Dobel . This elixir is a Mexican distillate that takes its personality from the American and Eastern European oak barrels where it is aged, but which, thanks to charcoal filtering, achieves that unique transparency. The experience is enhanced by the bottle that houses it, a kind of flask that refers to the firm's taste for playing with ingredients and never remaining static.
Crystal clear believer at rest
From the entire universe of mezcals , we are betting on the newest link in the Creyente family. It is an elixir that is made from agaves from different regions and then aged in American oak barrels. The result? A smooth, smoky distillate with fruity and sweet touches, qualities that make it ideal for those who try mezcal for the first time.
Drako Vodka
Made at the Revés Distillery —located in Ensenada , Baja California— using an artisanal process, this is one of the labels produced with Mexican corn, from the project that was born in 2018 under the direction of winemaker Hans Backhoff. This Mexican vodka spirit, without added sugar, is transformed after five distillations and two filtrations in activated coconut charcoal, resulting in an elixir with hints of vanilla and a light corn aroma. This label joins the gin and whiskeys made by Revés Distillery, without a doubt, they are part of the spirits made in Mexico that you must try.
Abasolo
With various international recognitions within the world of spirits , this Mexican whiskey made with 100% Mexican native cacahuazintle corn , which incorporates the nixtamalization process, has brought a unique flavor to around 14 countries, in which notes of toasted corn, honey, vanilla, nuts and spices stand out.
Casa Dragones Young Tequila
This is one of the best tequilas on the market, it's that simple. All thanks to its creation process, as it is the result of a mixture of white tequila with extra añejo , which rests in American oak barrels. Perfect to enjoy calmly. Without a doubt, this is one of the tequilas that should always be in your bar .
Tequila 1800 Millennium
It is one of our favourite extra-aged wines , thanks to the notes achieved after 40 months in barrel. Now, the stakes are raised with the fifth limited edition, created by Mexican artist Iñaki Bonillas.
