Raicilla: the "Forbidden Tequila" of the Sierra Above Vallarta

Everyone knows tequila. Almost no one outside the sierra knows its rebel cousin: raicilla, the spirit that for centuries was made in secret in the mountains above Puerto Vallarta, sold in recycled soda bottles, and was — technically — illegal until very recently. This is the story of the "forbidden tequila."

What is raicilla?

Raicilla is an agave spirit from the Sierra Madre of western Jalisco — mountain towns like Mascota, Talpa de Allende, and San Sebastián del Oeste, a couple of hours from Vallarta. It's been distilled since the 16th and 17th centuries; it was the drink of the sierra's miners. It's made from mountain agaves (lechuguilla), smaller and greener than the blue agave of tequila.

Why is it called the "forbidden tequila"?

Here's the good part. In colonial times, the crown taxed and restricted "mezcal wine." To dodge the tax, sierra producers renamed it "raicilla" — and kept distilling on their own. Over the years it fell outside the law: until recently it was basically moonshine, clandestine liquor sold in soda bottles and plastic jugs from town to town. A rebel from birth.

Is it the same as tequila or mezcal?

No. Tequila is made only from blue agave in its own region; mezcal is the big family of agave spirits. Raicilla is its own category: different agave, different sierra, different flavor — more herbal, smoky, and wild. Think of it as the mezcal of the Jalisco coast, with mountain character.

From contraband to Denominación de Origen

The plot twist: in June 2019, the Mexican government granted raicilla its Denominación de Origen — the same legal protection tequila and mezcal have. Overnight, the "illegal liquor" became a product with pedigree. And the detail that matters here: the designation covers 16 municipalities in Jalisco and one in Nayarit: Bahía de Banderas. So raicilla is, officially, from here.

Where to try it near Vallarta

The romantic way: head up to the sierra's magical towns — Mascota or San Sebastián del Oeste — and try it on its home turf (a gorgeous trip, by the way). The easy way: more and more bars and raicillerías in downtown Vallarta serve it. Order it neat, in a copita, the proper way. And if you're exploring the region, pair it with the bay's wildlife calendar for a full weekend.

The moral: next time someone orders tequila, tell them about the rebel cousin from the sierra. Vallarta doesn't just have beaches and a Hollywood love story — it has its own spirit, one that survived centuries in hiding to reach your glass.