Michael Prentice
Family distilleries in southern Estado de México work with local agaves around Malinalco and Zumpahuacán. In three Malinalco communities, growers raise plants from seed and young shoots, and local sales include both bulk spirit and labeled bottles.
Tamaulipas has a northeastern mezcal tradition centered on family vinatas, with agaves known locally as jarcia and amole. San Carlos and Jiménez are production centers, and local sales remain part of the trade.
Northern Guanajuato shares a salmiana distilling region with the Potosí–Zacatecas plateau. Its haciendas once collected spirit from outlying distilleries, and producers around San Felipe and Mineral de Pozos continue to work with salmiana.
Azul grows in Zacatecas’s southern valleys, while salmiana defines the plateau tradition around Pinos. Family distilleries and former hacienda factories carry on these different regional traditions.
Southern Puebla shares the Mixteca’s agave landscape with Oaxaca. Local distilleries work with plants known as papalote, pichomel and candelillo, while communities in the Tehuacán valley have helped restore agave populations.
Chino and alto supply family vinatas around Morelia, Lake Pátzcuaro and Queréndaro. In a Filipino still, vapor rises through a wooden chamber and condenses beneath a basin of cold water.
Guerrero’s mezcal tradition includes papalote in the hills around Chilapa and angustifolia forms such as sacatoro and espadín. Village distilleries, grower organizations and bottlers share in the trade.
Durango’s southern hills supply cenizo, while desert areas around Mapimí supply lamparillo. Its vinatas use varied crushing and distilling equipment, and some makers also produce sotol.
On San Luis Potosí’s dry Altiplano, hacienda distilleries and family makers work with salmiana. Above ground steam ovens are a regional tradition, often leaving its green, herbal flavors more prominent.
Oaxaca’s mezcal industry includes major international brands, grower cooperatives and family palenques. Espadín, pit ovens and copper stills sit alongside many other agaves and local techniques.