Alma Tepec Licor de Chile Pasilla Mixe

Oaxaca is world famous for its plethora of agave spirits, but did you know that it is also home to an abundance of ancestral chiles? I didn't either until I tasted the Alma Tepec. I chase authentic, local, terroir driven flavors for my drinks of choice, whether that be in wine, agave spirits, or rum, but it is not often that I find that moment of wonder with a liqueur. The Pasilla Mixe (pronounced "Mee-Hay") Chile exclusively grows at 5000 ft above sea level in the Sierra Mixe Mountains, which are then smoke-dried over an earthen oven. These chiles are then hand cut, unlocking their unique flavor which macerate in a sugarcane base spirit for a full year before lightly sweetened with raw cane sugar. While definitively spicy, there is a fruity & smoky quality which will enhance many cocktails, ranging from Spicy Margs to a Spicy Martinez.