Raicilla (, "little root") is a

distilled spirit Liquor (or a spirit) is an alcoholic drink produced by distillation of grains, fruits, vegetables, or sugar, that have already gone through alcoholic fermentation. Other terms for liquor include: spirit drink, distilled beverage or ha ...

originating in the south western part of the Mexican state of Jalisco. Like

tequila Tequila (; ) is a distilled beverage made from the blue agave plant, primarily in the area surrounding the city of Tequila northwest of Guadalajara, and in the Jaliscan Highlands ('' Los Altos de Jalisco'') of the central western Mexican s ...

and

mezcal Mezcal (, ), sometimes spelled mescal, is a distilled alcoholic beverage made from any type of agave. The word ''mezcal'' comes from Nahuatl , which means "oven-cooked agave", from and .What is MezcalElmezcal.org Traditionally the word " ...

, it is a product of the

agave ''Agave'' (; ; ) is a genus of monocots native to the hot and arid regions of the Americas and the Caribbean, although some ''Agave'' species are also native to tropical areas of North America, such as Mexico. The genus is primarily known for ...

plant. Raicilla is a traditional beverage with about 300 years of history and a protected Denomination of Origin. Its aroma and flavor are derived from the species of agave and characterized by the soil, topography, climate, water, producer ("Maestro Raicillero"), yeasts, and other factors. Raicilla is colorless when it is matured in glass or yellowish when it is matured in wood.

Process

Raicilla is distilled in rudimentary stills from a fermented mash made from the central stem (''piña'') of the

maguey Maguey may refer to various American plants: * Genus '' Agave'', especially ** Species ''Agave americana'', the century plant ** Species ''Agave salmiana ''Agave salmiana'' (also known as ''maguey pulquero'' and green maguey) is a species of the ...

plant. The mash is slow-cooked, and the steam condensed on a copper cone, cooled, traditionally, by spring water. To make a liter of Raicilla takes 10 kg of agave. Many different species of agaves are used to produce Raicilla, including Agave angustifolia ("Chico Aguiar" or "Yellow"), Agave maximiliana, Agave inaequidens and Agave rhodacantha. It is usually more than 100 proof before water is added to control proof.

References

Agave Distilled drinks Mexican alcoholic drinks {{distilled-drink-stub