Aguamiel Bacanora Blanco Mezcal
Aguamiel Bacanora Blanco is a 41% ABV, 750mL blanco bacanora from Suaqui Grande, Sonora, Mexico — a bottle of Sonora's own agave spirit, made from 100% Agave Yaquiana (the Sonoran form of Agave angustifolia, also called Pacifica), per the producer's official site. Bacanora is not mezcal: it holds its own Denomination of Origin, granted in 2000 and limited to 35 municipalities in Sonora, and this blanco is bottled unaged. It is available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor.
- ABV: 41%
- Size: 750mL
- Style: Bacanora blanco (unaged) — Denomination of Origin spirit of Sonora
- Agave: 100% Agave Yaquiana / Pacifica (Agave angustifolia Haw)
- Production: Cooking, fermentation and distillation of the agave (producer); earth oven and double distillation in steel and copper pot stills per importer Casa Agave
- Origin: Suaqui Grande, Sonora, Mexico — Aguamiel
The Spirit Sonora Hid for 77 Years
Bacanora's history is a prohibition story: Sonora banned its production in 1915, and for 77 years — until 1992 — the state's vinateros kept distilling in secret, which is why bacanora stayed a local secret while mezcal and tequila travelled. Legal recognition followed, with a Denomination of Origin in 2000 that only Sonora can use. Aguamiel, named for the agave's sweet "honey water," was created to give that tradition prestige — one of only a few registered bacanora brands sold internationally. Discover it in our mezcal and agave-spirits range — filed there today while its papers say Sonora — browse the wider tequila collection for its agave cousins, or visit the Aguamiel vendor page.
Tasting Notes
Nose: Delicate fennel and herbs with anise in the background, per importer Casa Agave. Palate: Light-bodied and silky — lasting sweetness from ripe agave merging with herbal and slight woody notes; secondary notes describe grass and a subtle smokiness with liquorice. Finish: Clean and gently sweet.
How to Enjoy
Sip it neat or with a single cube to keep the herbal-anise line clear — bacanora blanco rewards the same slow approach as a fine blanco mezcal, with a distinctly Sonoran accent. It also brings a grassy twist to a Ranch Water-style highball.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is bacanora the same as mezcal? No — bacanora is its own spirit with its own Denomination of Origin (2000), made only in 35 municipalities in Sonora from Agave angustifolia; mezcal is a separate DO centred on Oaxaca and other states.
Why was bacanora illegal? Sonora prohibited its production from 1915 to 1992; distillers worked clandestinely through the ban, which kept bacanora a regional secret for most of the twentieth century.
What agave is it made from? 100% Agave Yaquiana — the Sonoran form of Agave angustifolia (the same species as Espadin, grown smaller and narrower in Sonora), per the producer.
Sonora's once-hidden spirit, above board — order Aguamiel Bacanora Blanco online from Del Mesa Liquor in San Diego, CA.