maxamiliana

La Venenosa Raicilla 70cl - Sierra Occidental

Product information

£59.26

Description

La Venenosa Raicilla Sierra Occidental de Jalisco is produced by Maestro Tabernero Don Ruben Peña in the mountains in the village of Mascota, Jalisco. At 1,500 metres above sea level, Don Ruben cultivates agave Maximiliana from seeds. The agave is roasted in a wood fired adobe oven and he uses wild yeasts to ferment the aguamiel, or must, in 200 litre vats. The distillation is performed in an arabic-philippino still and bottled after only one pass. Rumor has it that Don Ruben discovered chemical compounds in the agave Maximiliana that are outside of what is regularly seen in the agave family, and that these compounds have strong therapeutic and health benefits. Some attribute this Raicilla to Don Ruben’s ability to have 17 children, all of them female! This Raicilla has a fruity palate of unsweetened lemon and lime juice. As the fruitiness fades, minerality and deep spice emerge from the depths of spirit.

Raicilla, like tequila and mezcal, is made from the agave plant, it is roasted like mezcal, not steamed like tequila. It has been produced for the last 500 years and can be made from a variety of agave varieties just like mezcal but is made in Jalisco which is not an official area where mezcal can be produced! Its origin hailed from humble farmers who wanted to make and enjoy mezcal but avoid the heavy taxes, so they claimed it was made from the root of the agave rather than the heart hence the name Raicilla which means 'little root'. Jalisco offers a plethora of agave species, second only to Oaxaca. These, along with great diversity in terroir, equipment and techniques, give Raicilla an amazing spectrum of flavour and history.

La Venenosa Raicilla range was created by Chef Esteban Morales. Esteban traversed the state in search of the best producers in each region. Every one of the Venenosa expressions is unique; created by different Maestro Taberneros in distinct regions, from different species of agave using diverse techniques, the individual results are astounding.

Aroma: funky blossom, pine, citrus, herbs, black pepper

Palate: tangy green tropical fruit, citrus, grass, viscous body, avocado-esque, this is really different stuff

ABV: 42%

4 available

Quantity

Additional details

    Mezcal Reviews: 3.58*/5

    aarild: 'Slate, brillat-savarin cheese and chile ancho aromas. Nice hit on the tongue with briney Madagascar pepper followed by an agave kick with plum and pear. Hard cheese rind and nectarine finish. Starting to think all Venenosa raicillas share a common baseline, but yet each bottle is so unique.
    Lot 28.'

    donpedro: 'Lot 27, Date 12-18, Bottle 524/920, ABV 43.3% Ok, this is nice. So much acidity!! This is a food pairing dream come true; there are too many good options to serve it with. I mean, it makes sense that a chef selected this expression for his raicilla brand.

    Peaches and cream on the nose, with fresh herbs and other vegetal notes. WOW – the palate is straight fresh ground black pepper followed by slight apple cider vinegar meets cilantro. Very saline and tangy, with food this is simply fantastic. That mouthwatering acidity kept me coming back for more throughout the entire meal.'

    Tyler: 'One of the most unique agave spirits that will ever touch your tongue. This raicilla from maximiliana agave is supposed to have health benefits. This is dangerously easy to enjoy. On the nose there are aromas of apple and vinegar. The taste itself is oddly familiar. I can’t quite put my finger on it, or rather my mouth. It’s both sweet and sour with flavors of sour cherry with sweet nectar. The ABV is a bit low at 42% but the flavors linger on the palate nicely. Lote 12 from 05-15.'

    Jonny:' Lote 12 Fecha 05-15 Bottle 110/800. This is one of my favorite raicillas. It reminds me of a Georgia O’Keefe painting.'

    Category: destilados de Jalisco

    Maestro Tabernero: Don Ruben Peña

    Interesting fact: Raicilla (little root), is an agave distillate which has been sold like 'moonshine', ie without government approval. La Venenosa is the brand that brought this style of liquor to the market legally and is made by Don Rueben Pena Fuentes.

    Maguey/agave: maximiliana

    Region: El Mascota, Sierra Occidental de Jalisco

    Oven type: adobe oven with oak

    Extraction method: tahona

    Fermentation: naturally fermented in 200l vats

    Still type: hybrid Arabic-Filipino still, bottling after one pass

    ABV: 42%