Jalisco

Jalisco contains most of the Denomination of Origin (DO) for tequila, as well as the entire DO for raicilla. Although the state is outside the DO for mezcal, some very good mezcals, such as Chacolo, are produced near the border to Colima. The raicilla DO covers two distinct regions, the coast and the mountains, which produce two very different types of raicilla. Although much of the state is planted with blue agave, Jalisco is probably second to Oaxaca in terms of agave biodiversity. Many types of agave are used in the production of raicilla and other Jalisco mezcal, notably A. maximiliana (comonly called lechugilla), A. angustifolia, and A. rhodacantha. To learn more about Jalisco’s regional mezcal, raicilla tourism, and raicilla brands, check out Raicilla 101, our visit to raicilla country, or our profile of Chacolo.