Celebrate Día de Los Muertos With 5 Superb Mexican Spirits That Aren’t Tequila

Día de Los Muertos is right around the corner. This is the time of year we’d usually put together a tequila roundup, spotlighting recent releases and limited-edition bottlings that play into the festivities. Think extra añejos sold in brightly colored, oversized skull decanters, delicious additive-free tequilas and the occasional reposado packaged inside a literal coffin (that honor goes to the high-priced G4 Madera).

Tempting as the opportunity may be, we figured we’d do something a little different this time around. Never in history has Mexican-made alcohol gotten so much attention beyond its home country, and Día de Los Muertos feels like as good a time as any to explore the options. In honor of the holiday, we’re taking a look at five Mexican spirits — a mezcal, sotol, whisky, gin and rum — that perfectly capture the mid-autumn celebration.

1. Bozal Cempasúchil

(Photo: Bozal)

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North of the border, you’ll often find Día de Los Muertos emblemized through oversized hats, perforated paper banners and the usual grab bag of Walmart-friendly skeleton and skull decorations. Though these symbols are all significant in their own way, one of the most iconic tends to get lost in translation. Marigold flowers — known in Spanish as cempasuchiles — are laid down as gifts for the deceased at ofrendas (altars) across Mexico, their pungent, citrus-tinged scent said to be strong enough to guide spirits back to their families.

Bozal Mezcal takes the meaning of “spirits” to a new level. Each year, the brand distills a limited-edition batch that incorporates fresh marigold flowers and mandarin peels directly into the still. Think of it as a playful twist on mezcal de pechuga, a decades-old technique in which local ingredients (more often than not, turkey or chicken breast) are allowed to mingle with liquor during distillation. For the sake of that somewhat imprecise comparison, let’s just say this is a vegan pechuga and call it a day.

The aroma opens with a waft of everything dark yellow and sweet: Citrus peel, preserved lemon, flowers and pumpkin, bundled up with a sweet and acidic bite we’d liken to Sour Patch Kids. The palate delivers on that promise and then some. Bright flavors of candied citrus, grapefruit, honey and guava steal the show, underlined by subtler hints of smoke and flaky sea salt that bring the experience back to earth. It’s gorgeous stuff from front to end. And —never have we said this about a 47%-ABV, $130 mezcal sold in a collectible ceramic decanter — a surprisingly accessible sip for just about any level of agave enjoyer.

2. Cardenxe Sotol de Desierto

(Photo: Cardenxe)

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Frequently mischaracterized as the “third” agave spirit beyond tequila and mezcal, sotol is distilled from desert spoon shrubs, a plant in the asparagus family found throughout stretches of the Chihuahuan desert in northern Mexico. It’s bright, it’s grassy, and it’s been making some big moves on the scene as of late. Sotol makers have made a concerted push into the U.S. market over the past year, organizing distillation demos and co-sponsoring tasting events. The spirit has even picked up a small handful of celebrity benefactors along the way — a surefire sign of future success if there ever was one.

Cardenxe is a great place to start for aspiring sotol enjoyers. The brand’s Sotol de Desierto, inspired by the arid terroir of Chihuahua, begins with a blend of three desert spoon varietals left to grow between 12 and 15 years. The rest of the process relies on old-school techniques. The plants are harvested, cooked in rock-lined earthen pits, crushed by axe, fermented in pine tubs and double distilled in copper stills.

Aromas of tangerine, citrus pith and green grape combine for a tangy, almost effervescent fruit character, undercut by a funky splash of thicket and mowed grass. The palate readjusts its influences toward the smoky side, introducing a barbecue note that lingers across sweet and savory flavors of firewood, roasted peach, cocoa nibs and burnt veggies. It’s a remarkably complex offering chock full of characteristic sotol flavor, and so long as you don’t mind your spirits on the ashy side, well worth the $60 price of entry.

3. Abasolo Ancestral Corn Whisky

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Corn is one of, if not the definitive building blocks of Mexican cuisine. Yet, the grain is surprisingly underutilized when it comes to liquor. It wasn’t until 2013 that the first officially recognized Mexican corn whisky was produced, and only a handful of competitors have appeared on the market in the years since.

For a taste of Mexico’s version of bourbon, minus the many legal specifics that word entails, look no further than Abasolo. Produced at the Destileria Abasolo in Jilotepec, the whisky is crafted from a mashbill of 100% Cacahuazintle corn, which has purportedly been cultivated and passed down by more than 200 generations of local farmers. The brand makes use of its crop by way of a process called nixtamalization, in which kernels are soaked in an alkaline solution that softens their texture while enhancing the sweet and savory flavors buried within.

Following two years of aging in newly toasted and used American oak casks, the whisky is as abundantly corn-forward as spirits can get. Think corn bread, tortillas and toffee pudding, tied together by a silky smooth mouthfeel almost reminiscent of a liqueur. Rarely does a spirit deliver so much influence from its main ingredient. A great choice for Old Fashioneds and after-dinner sipping, Abasolo is bottled at 43% ABV and clocks in at a modest $40 most places liquor is sold.

4. Condesa Prickly Pear & Orange Blossom Gin

(Photo: Condesa)

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There are plenty of fantastic options when it comes to Mexican gin. Gracias a Dios, historically a mezcal producer, offers an inventive twist on the spirit distilled with Espadin agave, imbuing a vegetal bite that plays off heady botanicals of juniper and avocado leaf. Travel to the north for a taste of Acrónimo, a Chihuahuan distiller that recently debuted a cardamom-forward gin finished with 17% unaged sotol. The possibilities are limitless, as is the knack for experimentation that regional brands continue bringing to the category.

For a flavor profile that feels decidedly Día de Los Muertos, we’d opt for Condesa Prickly Pear and Orange Blossom. Produced by an all-women team at the Flor de Luna distillery in Mexico City, this is an extra dry gin that incorporates prickly pear, raspberry, juniper, orange blossom, coriander seeds and lime. Though it’s not a flavored spirit by any means, the impact of each and every one of its botanicals is present in full force.

The nose opens with perfumed scents of bitter citrus pith and red berries, giving way to a juniper note that evolves across the palate and finish. Expect hints of lavender, orange blossoms, lime zest and a distinct honeydew melon flavor that adds a cooling touch. Best of all? The bottling only costs $35.

5. Alambique Serrano Cartier 30

(Photo: Alambique Serrano)

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Time to up the ante. Bottled at a staggering 70.3% ABV, Alambique Serrano Cartier 30 is an unaged rum produced in Santa Maria Tlalixtac, Oaxaca, by the Krassel family. The Krassels moved from Germany to Mexico in the 1930s, building a custom still designed from scratch to handle fresh-pressed Java sugarcane juice grown at altitudes as high as 4,000 feet above sea level.

Suffice it to say the rum is not for the faint of heart. The liquid — bottled without any added sugar or water — punches at the nostrils with rich aromas of olive, minerality, slate and a meaty, vinegar-like funk. Imagine a dirty martini mixed with overripe fruit. The palate dives headfirst into all the above, introducing flavors of sweet cream, freshly cracked pepper, leather and ginger followed by a supremely savory, drawn-out finish. There’s a lot going on here, almost too much to appreciate at first sip. Yet, against all odds, the experience never tips into overproofed territory, finding plenty of room for its flavors to breathe without a nasty kick of ethanol.

Adventurous drinkers can find Alambique Serrano Cartier 30 online at a suggested retail price of $64.99.