La Venenosa Raicilla Sierra
42% ABV | 750mL | Wild-agave raicilla, Sierra Occidental de Jalisco, Mexico — La Venenosa Raicilla Sierra is the Sierra Volcanes expression of chef Esteban Morales's single-producer raicilla line: made by Maestro Tabernero Don Ruben Peña Fuentes in Mascota, high in the Sierra Occidental de Jalisco, from 100% wild agave Maximiliana, roasted in an adobe oven with black oak and single-distilled in a hybrid Filipino-Arabic still. Raicilla is an agave spirit from Jalisco with its own Denomination of Origin (2019); it is not tequila and not mezcal. Available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor in San Diego, CA.
The profile is wild and unmistakable: earthy highland agave, savory funk and mineral character from the single distillation, with a warm, round palate — this is raicilla at its most artisanal. Among agave spirits, this is the grail bottle for funky-mezcal lovers — serve neat in a copita and expect blue cheese, not smoke.
Tasting notes
Nose: earthy agave, savory funk, mineral, light smoke from the adobe-oven roast. Palate: warm and round; wild agave sweetness, lactic notes, black pepper. Finish: lingering, earthy, mineral. (Funky and savory — never sweet.)
Why buy it from Del Mesa Liquor
- 42% ABV — 750mL; Sierra Volcanes expression, single-distilled
- 100% agave Maximiliana, grown wild in the Sierra Occidental de Jalisco
- Made by Don Ruben Peña Fuentes in Mascota; adobe-oven roast, hybrid Filipino-Arabic still
- Raicilla — Jalisco's own agave spirit with Denomination of Origin (2019); not tequila
- Available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor
How to serve it
Neat in a copita at room temperature — the traditional way. Wild funk deserves no mixer; sip it slowly as a digestif.
Frequently asked questions
Is raicilla the same as tequila?
No. Raicilla is a distinct agave spirit from Jalisco with its own Denomination of Origin (2019). Tequila may only be made from blue agave; raicilla may use many other agave species, which is why it tastes so different.
What does La Venenosa Sierra taste like?
Wild and savory — earthy agave, savory funk and mineral notes with a warm, round palate. Funky, not smoky.
What is the "Sierra" expression?
This bottle is the Sierra Volcanes expression of the La Venenosa line — made by Don Ruben Peña Fuentes in Mascota from 100% wild agave Maximiliana, single-distilled in a hybrid Filipino-Arabic still.
What is the ABV?
The bottle label states 42% ABV (84 proof).