Dexter Kim
For decades, raicilla lived in the shadow of mezcal and tequila, an agave distillate dismissed as a moonshine of sorts and little known outside its home in the western Mexican state of Jalisco.
Nowadays, by virtue of ancestral production methods and esoteric charm, it has found footing among discerning drinkers. Jeremy Blackmore, creative director of agave-spirit specialists Cantina OK! and Centro 86 in Sydney, considers himself a fan. “Raicilla is super interesting to mix with, as there are so many different flavours from the different areas it gets produced,” he says.
“It can be earthy and sour in the Mascota valley; tropical, fruity and foot-like along the coast; or like blue cheese and old melon if from the Sierra – in
a good way.” These offbeat flavours work especially well with pineapple, the protagonist in the La 75, an easy cocktail that piggybacks on the Spicy Marg’s popularity and takes its name from the highway that runs through raicilla country.
While the recipe might be simple, Blackmore believes that squeezing the limes à la minute and using freshly juiced pineapple make all the difference. “You can do it with the bottled stuff,” he says, “but it is worth the extra effort.”
How to make Jeremy Blackmore’s La 75 cocktail
For ancho chilli oil, blend 200ml extra-virgin olive oil and 3 dried ancho chillies on high speed for 3 minutes. Infuse for 1 hour, then strain out solids. For pineapple syrup, stir 500gm sugar into 500ml fresh pressed pineapple juice until combined. Salt the rim of a chilled coupe glass. In a cocktail shaker, combine 50ml raicilla, 30ml freshly squeezed lime juice and 20ml pineapple syrup. Fill with ice and shake until well chilled. Strain into coupe glass and garnish with 3 drops of ancho chilli oil.
Raicillas to try
Las Perlas Raicilla de Costa
As the name suggests, Las Perlas tastes of the coast – fresh, salty and mineral with a faint melon-like sweetness.
$143 for 750ml, agaveria.com.au
Estancia Raicilla
Yellow fruits and vivid gin-like aromatics shape the palate of this spirit, brought to life by a sustainably minded, Australian-owned distillery.
$99 for 750ml, danmurphys.com.au
La Venenosa Tabernas Raicilla
Two brothers are behind this complex, lightly smoky bottling, which meshes preserved lemon, green herbs and cultured butter.
$100 for 750ml, agavelux.com.au
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