Raicilla Culture
Discover the history and production process of this endemic drink.
Origins
The origins of raicilla date back to the mid-eighteenth century, where the emergence of this drink became popular in the mining area of Jalisco. Thus, a tradition began that has passed through the generations to the present day.
Considered endemic to the state of Jalisco, raicilla is prepared with certain species of agave. In the municipalities of San Sebastián del Oeste, Mascota, Talpa de Allende, Atenguillo, Mixtlán, Guachinango, they use the inaequidens and maximiliana varieties.
Hacienda Maltarana
Get to know the inspiration of our Distilling House
The name of Maltraña, was born as a reference to the Hacienda Bella Cristina or Maltaraña, previously located on a small island which in the current municipality of Jamay, Jalisco, which had opulence in the 20th century.
In the first months of 1908, at the direction of then-president Porfirio Díaz, who enjoyed visiting the maltraña hacienda of his compadre Joaquín Cuesta Gallardo in the summer to enjoy a few drinks of raicilla, its surroundings were ordered to dry out and thus the island was united land to make way for the construction of the large French-style mansion "Hacienda la bella cristina". In its heyday, the hacienda had 365 doors and windows, one for each day of the year. Its walls were pastel pink and it was adorned with finely carved exotic woods, rugs, lamps, furniture, tableware, floors, French-made wrought iron and finely carved quarries.
It was in the year 1914, that Mr. Joaquín Cuesta Gallardo died at the hands of the emblematic revolutionary Francisco Villa. After the heinous crime, Villa had him hang on the balconies of the government palace, as a sign to the population that the revolutionary movement was in favor of the “poor”.
During the Mexican Revolution, the different armies looted it. Through the years it was believed that there were hidden treasures within the great house; however, they were never found. During the Mexican Revolution, the armies looted it and greatly deteriorated it.
Time, oblivion and bureaucracy have been the executioners of this hacienda, which is part of the identity of Jamaicans, for being the protagonist of legends and stories transmitted by word of mouth for generations.
Elaboration process
Our process begins with the harvesting of the agave, which can vary in age from 10 to 20 years depending on the plant. Agaves have the peculiarity of growing on the coast and at more than 1,600 meters above mean sea level.
Currently, its production is highly artisanal. The different varieties of agave that are used need to be harvested after eight years of life to guarantee the final quality. To make it, it is processed very similar to tequila or mezcal. First, the plants that are in optimal conditions are selected and then they are cut, the leaves are cut and only the pineapple is left, which is broken into pieces. Subsequently, the pieces of pineapple are cooked in an oven for around 48 hours, to subsequently extract the juices they contain and take them to fermentation.
Finally, the raicilla is distilled and proceeds to bottle.
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