Rancho Tepua Bacanora Blanco Tequila 750ml

Rancho Tepúa is produced by the Contreras family at their ranch in Aconchi, in the Sonoran Sierra Madre mountains, a region that has made this style of agave spirit for more than three centuries. Roberto Contreras, a fifth-generation maestro bacanorero, learned the craft from his father, Don Lalo, whose generation kept the tradition alive through a 77-year prohibition on Bacanora production that lasted from 1915 to 1992 by running small hidden distilleries across the family's land. The name Tepúa comes from the Opata word for the ax traditionally used to harvest agave, a nod to the indigenous heritage tied to this style of spirit.

Rancho Tepúa Bacanora Blanco is made from 100% Agave Angustifolia Pacifica, a variety native to Sonora and distinct from the Blue Weber agave used in tequila. The agave hearts are roasted underground with mesquite wood for around 36 hours, then crushed and fermented with wild yeast and natural spring water from the ranch in stainless steel vats for eight to ten days. The spirit is twice distilled in a traditional Arabic-style alembic still, a stainless steel pot fitted with a copper head, before bottling unaged.

The nose carries fresh grass, mint, and eucalyptus alongside damp soil, floral notes, and a whisper of smoke. On the palate, herbaceous and vegetal flavors mingle with agave sweetness, citrus, and a mineral, almost salty quality that reflects the rugged terrain where it's made. The finish turns peppery and warm, with a lingering minty heat and a touch of ash.