Alambique Serrano Vida Nativa Blend #4 Mariposa 88 Rum
Alambique Serrano Vida Nativa Blend #4 Mariposa 88 Rum is a cask-strength, single-origin Oaxacan rum from the Krassel family in Santa Maria Tlalixtac, Oaxaca, Mexico, bottled at 56.1% ABV (112.2 proof) in a 700mL bottle, with no water, sugar or coloring added. Vida Nativa Blend #4 is named for the Mariposa 88, the '88 butterfly' (Diaethria anna). It marries a pot and Krassel still blend aged 3 years in new French oak and finished 11 months in an ex-tequila barrel with a Krassel still rum aged 38 months in an ex-bourbon barrel and finished 10 months in an ex-Merlot oak cask. Just 571 bottles were filled. Note this is a different Blend #4 from the earlier Blend #4 Tres Maderas - same number, entirely different blend. It is available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor.
- Style: Cask-strength blend of pot still and Krassel still rum
- ABV: 56.1% ABV (112.2 proof), cask strength
- Size: 700mL
- Producer: Krassel family, Alambique Serrano
- Region: Santa Maria Tlalixtac, Oaxaca, Mexico
- Casks: New French oak finished in an ex-tequila barrel; ex-bourbon finished in ex-Merlot oak
- Release: Vida Nativa Blend #4, limited to 571 bottles
The Butterfly With 88 On Its Wings
The Krassel family has distilled sugarcane spirit on the steep hillsides of Santa Maria Tlalixtac, in Oaxaca's Canada region, for three generations - German immigrant Max Krassel began with a handmade still on a coffee farm in the 1930s, and today his grandsons Rommel, Axel and William run the stills. Every Alambique Serrano rum starts with organic Java-varietal cane grown between 2,500 and 3,800 feet, hand-harvested and pressed in mobile mills, fermented with wild yeast, and distilled on the family's custom-built Krassel column and copper pot stills. Nothing is added - no sugar, no coloring, no flavoring - and PM Spirits imports the rums to the United States. The Mariposa 88 takes its name from the distinct '88' markings on the underside of its hindwings; it darts low over the Rio Blanco and feeds on fallen fruit - hard to track, worth the patience. The blend named for it is the most playful of the Vida Nativa releases, the only one finished in an ex-tequila barrel. Browse the full range in our rum collection.
Tasting Notes
Lavender, rosita de cacao, buttered popcorn and pan de muertos on the nose. The palate runs to orange compote, lavender, brioche, red currant and Laffy Taffy with a hint of Sichuan pepper - floral, fruity and quietly spicy.
How to Enjoy
Sip it neat first to meet the tequila-barrel and Merlot-cask character at full strength, then add a few drops of water. Compare it with Vida Nativa Blend #3 Tepejilote for the pot-still extreme, or find it among the gift-ready bottles in our Holiday Gift Guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this the same as Blend #4 Tres Maderas?
No - Tres Maderas was an earlier, 750mL Blend #4 (59.1% ABV, acacia/Cognac/vino generoso casks). Mariposa 88 is the Vida Nativa Blend #4: French oak, ex-tequila, ex-bourbon and ex-Merlot casks at 56.1% ABV in a 700mL bottle.
Why 'Mariposa 88'?
The 88 butterfly (Diaethria anna) carries markings that read as the number 88 on the underside of its hindwings.
What proof is it?
56.1% ABV (112.2 proof), bottled at cask strength with no additives.
How many bottles were made?
571 bottles.
Order Alambique Serrano Vida Nativa Blend #4 Mariposa 88 from Del Mesa Liquor in San Diego, CA - available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor.