Casa D'aristi Xtabentún Classic Mayan Liqueur
Casa D'aristi Xtabentún Classic Mayan Liqueur is the signature spirit of the Yucatán Peninsula: a golden honey-and-anise liqueur at 30% ABV (60 proof) in a 750mL bottle, made in Mérida from honey gathered by bees that feed on the sacred xtabentún flower, blended with wild green anise and aged rum. With roots in pre-contact Mayan ceremony and a Gold Medal from the Fifty Best Honey Spirits 2021, it is one of Mexico's most distinctive regional liqueurs. It is available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.
- ABV: 30% (60 proof)
- Size: 750mL
- Style: Yucatán honey-anise liqueur (xtabentún)
- Origin: Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico — Casa D'aristi, founded 1935
- Awards: Gold Medal, Fifty Best Honey Spirits 2021; Best in Class, Spirits of Mexico 2014; Silver, LAISC 2015
A Mayan Ceremony in a Bottle
Xtabentún takes its name from the xtabentún flower, a regional morning-glory whose nectar gives local honey unmistakable floral-aromatic properties — honey the Maya used in balché, a sacred ceremonial drink, long before Spanish contact. In 1935, 19-year-old Don Carlos Aristi set out across the peninsula researching Mayan culture, discovered the ancestral beverage, and perfected a family recipe to preserve it; the house he founded with his brother now marks some 90 years of production. The method endures: Yucatán honey (traditionally from native Melipona bees) and wild green aniseed are fermented with yeast and sugar into a honey-anise concentrate, rested about 30 days in old barrels, then married to a sugarcane-molasses rum base.
Tasting Notes
Golden amber with a warm honeyed glow. The nose is vibrant and herbaceous — green anise and mint over blossom honey, white jungle flowers, and a flicker of bitter bark. The palate is smooth and coating, rich honey sweetness balanced by aromatic anise and light herbal undertones; the rum base adds depth without dominating. The finish is long and elegant, sweet-spiced warmth with mineral notes the importer likens to Yucatán's cenotes.
How to Enjoy
Sip neat or over ice in a small cordial glass, the traditional digestivo serve. It is legendary in coffee — the "Mayan Coffee" (warm cup, Xtabentún, coffee, cinnamon) — and it enlivens cocktails with tequila, whiskey, or gin wherever a honey liqueur with an herbal edge fits. Explore the house's full range at Casa D'aristi.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is xtabentún?
A traditional Yucatán liqueur made from fermented xtabentún-flower honey blended with anise and rum, rooted in Mayan ceremonial drink.
What does Xtabentún taste like?
Rich honey up front, aromatic green anise, subtle herbs and florals, with a warm sweet-spiced finish.
How do you drink Xtabentún?
Neat or on ice as a digestivo, or in coffee — the classic Mayan Coffee.
Is Casa D'aristi Xtabentún gluten-free / additive-free?
The house advertises its liqueurs as additive-free with no artificial flavorings.
For more agave-country sipping, see our aperitivo picks. Order Casa D'aristi Xtabentún Classic online from Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA — ninety years of Yucatán in every pour.