THE ART OF CRAFTING RAICILLA

1. Agave Selection

Wild Agave Maximiliana thrives among cliffs, mountains, and the rich flora and fauna of the Sierra. These agaves are left to grow naturally until they reach full maturity, which takes 6 to 8 years.

Selecting mature wild agave is crucial, as its ripeness significantly influences the final flavor of the Raicilla.

 

2. Harvesting and Preparation

The labor-intensive harvesting process begins with an expedition into the forest, identifying agaves ready for jima (harvesting).

Using specialized tools, the agave leaves are carefully trimmed away to expose the heart (piña), which is then split in half. These piñas are transported to the taberna for the next stages of crafting Raicilla.

3. Cooking

Para la cocción del agave utilizamos un horno hecho de piedra y barro, se calienta 12 horas con leña de roble, después procedemos a cargar el horno con las piñas para su cocimiento, se sella con adobe por 3 días, esto para que los agaves se cuezan lentamente.

This slow cooking process transforms the agave’s complex sugars into more fermentable sugars, giving Raicilla its distinctive flavor.

4. Mashing

Once cooked, the piñas are crushed to extract the juice.

Our mashing process follows tradition; we use a 100-year-old parota canoe as the container and oakwood mallets to crush the agave.

5. Fermentation

The juices, syrups, and fibers are combined with pure spring water, and alongside native wild yeasts, they undergo a fermentation process lasting approximately 8 days, depending on environmental factors like temperature.

During this magical phase, the natural yeasts work to transform the sugars into alcohol and impart the unique flavors that define our Raicilla.

6. Distillation

The fermented mixture is distilled using traditional Arab-Filipino stills: handcrafted copper boilers with frames made from mountain wood, topped with a pinewood lid sealed by hand with clay, and a copper coil.

We use oak wood to fuel the fire.