Rum Guide to Mexico 2024
Finding Treasures in an Ancient Land
Reading time: 17 minutes
Mexico is a land of contrasts; year-round sunshine, cloud forests, ancient ruins, modern cities, stunning beaches, and an incredibly rugged interior with volcanoes and waterfalls.
The Tropic of Cancer divides Mexico’s climate and geography from north to south. The arid north, coastal plains to lush jungles in the south, and the Yucatán Peninsula, Gulf of Mexico. The climate shifts from cool, dry winters in the north to year-round warmth in the south. Sugarcane flourishes in the humid south, the main cane-producing regions are Veracruz, Jalisco, and Oaxaca. The sugarcane season can be year-round but generally harvested from January to May. Many rum producers are small-scale farmers at altitudes in remote mountainous regions.
Sugarcane was brought to Mexico by the Spanish in 1520, with the first Trapiche, a sugar mill followed soon after. In the 1930s, Bacardí built its first distillery outside of Cuba in Mexico, ushering in scaled production and international brands. Since the 90s, due to agave shortages, many tequila producers turned to cane spirit. In the past decade, a new generation of artisanal rum distillers has emerged and partnered with brands.
The main sugarcane spirits are Aguardiente de Cana an unaged fresh cane juice rum, traditional aged rum, and Charanda which can only made in Michoacán. Today, Mexico produces as much rum as the Caribbean countries combined, but that’s not so well known – until now. We start our Mexican rum adventure in the north and head south.
San Luis Potosi
A 5-hour drive northwest of Mexico City is San Luis Potosi in the Mesa Central at around 6,158 feet. The city and state are famous for its beautiful old churches, colonial architecture, Mexican traditions, and the Cascada de Tamul waterfalls.
Ron Huasteco Potosí
Founded in 1938 Ron Huasteco Potosí is now one of Mexico’s older rum producers. The first rum was created in Ciudad Valles in 1938. Ron Huasteco Potosí reopened in 2019 at Distilerias Huasteco. Sugarcane is important to the local economy here, and the brand is investing to support employment, and community and grow the brand to export in the states.
The range includes Ron Huasteco Potosí Blanco aged 8 months to 1 year, Añejo aged 5 years, and Extra Añejo aged 8 years in American oak. Añejo is their signature expression, and the Extra Añejo was a happy accident when ageing barrels were lost in a hurricane and then rediscovered 3 years later – so the story goes by Fernanda at the distillery home. You can visit their boutiques and taste the rum locally at the SLP Boutique Store newly opened late last year in Ciudad Valles. They are open Mon-Sat 11am to 9:30pm, hosting events and tastings.
Find out more on Ron Huasteco Potosí
Guanajuato
In central Mexico on the Mesa Central, part of the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt pine-oak forest at altitude. Pénjamo and its Sierra is archaeological Las Plazuelas, and a popular spot for fishing, hiking, and visiting a rum distillery!
El Ron Prohibido
El Ron Prohibido was founded in 2019. The brand home is at the 1700s ex Hacienda Corralejo in Pénjamo, Guanajuato. It’s named The Forbidden Rum after the Mexican prohibition era from 1700-1796.
On behalf of the brand, Carlo Gianni Berardi explains the inspiration behind the brand:
Ron Prohibido owes its distinctive flavor profile to a fascinating historical practice that began in the 17th century. Originally, this rum was created almost by accident when shippers used to fill empty wine barrels with Chinguirito, a rudimentary form of the rum, to transport it from Mexico to Spain. This was primarily done to optimize space and reduce waste during the long sea voyages.
As the Chinguirito journeyed across the Atlantic, it interacted with the remnants of wine soaked into the wooden barrels. This process, enhanced by the fluctuations in temperature and the constant movement of the sea during the lengthy voyage, allowed the rum to absorb the complex flavors and aromas left behind by the wine.
The range includes El Ron Prohibido Silver, Reserva Solera 12 Rum is molasses distilled rum aged in a 12-year Solera process in ex-Jerez barrels. El Ron Prohibido Solera Gran Reserva is 15 years in the Solera ageing system and PX Sherry casks. Casa Corralejo is home to Tequila Corralejo where they have a visitor experience you explore the Tequila and rum on the same visit.
Find out more on El Ron Prohibido
Jalisco
Jalisco is arguably the most diverse Mexican state with forests, beaches, plains, Lake Chapala the country’s largest natural lake as well as the Colima Volcano, one of the most active in the country. Altitudes go from 0 to 14,110 ft from the coast to the top of the Nevado de Colima. The land of Tequila is also a very good cane-growing region and up-and-coming producers.
Hacienda Navajas
Hacienda Navajas has a history going back to 1695. Sugarcane has been grown here for more than 300 years. Sowing and harvest cycles are usually 11 to 16 months. The cane is juiced at 3 local sugar mills; Bellavista, Tala, and Ameca. The resulting sugar by-product of molasses is fermented for 6 days. Distillation is directly fired in a batch method on a stainless-steel hybrid still, a pot, and a four-plate column.
Ron Navajas Spiced Rum has aged for a minimum of 6 months and has a selection of five Mexican spices infused. Hacienda Navajas welcomes visitors on a guided tour with 90-minute appointments bookable online.
Find out more on Hacienda Navajas
SATVRNAL
Destilados SATVRNAL is a relatively new distiller emerging in 2022 from the southwest outskirts of Guadalajara. Ron Infumbe de Jalisco is an aromatic English-style rum made from Southern Jalisco molasses. The long fermentation process provides high esters and a full-flavoured complex unaged rum. The Satvrnal Infumbe has a Blanco, and we hear their Destilado de Platano (banana rum) is very good.
Find out more on SATVRNAL Ron Infumbe
Ron Macollo
Founded in 1998 in Guadalajara, Ron Macollo is a pure cane juice rum, and aged at altitude for slower evaporation losses. The range includes Macollo Ron Blanco, Anejo aged 7 years, and Ron Macollo 12 years Black Label is aged in American and French oak.
Find out more on Ron Macollo
Michoacán
Sugarcane was brought to Michoacán by Gonzalo de Salazar in 1544. There used to be 100 rum producers, today there are only a handful. Cane growing is being squeezed out by the more profitable avocado trade. Michoacán is the world’s largest supplier of avocados.
The Paricutín cinder cone volcano (pictured above) is a natural wonder and part of the Michoacán–Guanajuato volcanic field which enriches the soil where local sugarcane thrives.
Uruapan (meaning flowers abound) is the second largest city in the state on the western edge of the Purépecha highlands. It’s home to the national park waterfalls, colonial buildings, and Charanda; a sugarcane spirit like rum.
Destiladora Casa Tarasco
Casa Tarasco Spirits has been made Uruapan Charanda by The Pacheco family since 1907 in the city of Uruapan. In 1908 they switched from Mezcal to distilling sugarcane spirits. Tarasco is the name of the Purepecha people in the state of Michoacán. Charanda means “red soil” after the volcanic-rich soil, and has been a protected designation of origin (DO) since 2003. Charanda can only be made in Michoacán using sugarcane from 16 designated areas.
Miriam Pacheco is the Maestra destiladora at Casa Tarasco. Uruapan Blanco in aqua blue bottles is the best known. In Patuán, the cane is pressed on an old Scottish water-powered stone mill to extract the juice. It’s then fermented for 10-11 days, distilled in a pot still, then blended 50/50 with a 48-hour fermented molasses rum that was distilled on a column still. Uruapan Charanda Añejo is aged for 22 months in ex-bourbon barrels.
Charanda can be distilled using column stills or copper or Filipino alembic stills. The distillery makes Uruapan Charanda, Sol Tarasco Charanda & El Tarasco Charanda brands.
Find out more on Destiladora Casa Tarasco
Gustoso Rum
Gustoso Rum is made from sugarcane grown on family farms near Los Reyes. Los Reyes has beautiful waterfalls. The rum is a blend of fermented cane juice distilled in a pot and first-press molasses distilled in a copper column. Gustoso Blanco is bottled unaged, often called Aguardiente. Gustoso Añejado is a blend of the Blanco distillate aged in fresh oak, sherry, and ex-whiskey casks.
Find out more on Gustoso Rum
Destilería Mexican Craft Spirits
Founded in 2018 Ron Rumbón, and Ron Aconte is made by Destilería Mexican Craft Spirits. The range includes Ron Artesanal Blanco, 3 years old, and 7 years old. All are made with spring water, distilled in copper stills, and aged in ex-Bourbon white American oak barrels.
You can book and visit the distillery as they host events.
Find out more on Destilería Mexican Craft Spirits
Veracruz
In eastern Mexico where the cane arrived, Veracruz is Mexico’s oldest, largest, and historically most significant port.
Licores Veracruz
Licores Veracruz was founded in 1896 in the city of Orizaba. In 1950 it changed hands and modernised and is now based in Cordoba. They produce sugarcane juice rum and bottle some of the oldest rums in Mexico. Ron Mocambo premium-aged rum is instantly recognisable with its novelty gun-shaped bottles.
The core range starts with ‘Carta Blanca, then the Platinum Blanco is aged for a minimum of 1 year in select old white oak barrels and then filtered. Ron Mocambo 15-year rum is linear-aged in European white oak, and a single barrel on the label means no blending. Ron Villa Rica in a tall slender bottle is the other rum brand in the portfolio. Ron Añejo Villa Rica 23 Años Edición Oro was aged since 1984 inside in ex-Canadian whisky casks.
Find out more on Licores Veracruz
Ron La Gloria
Ingenio La Gloria was founded in 1947. In 1949, the Seoane family brought Jaronu cane from the Cuban province of Camagüey to Mexico. Once mixed with the best local varieties of sugarcane, they created Caña Diamante® – which goes into each bottle of Ron La Gloria.
Ron La Gloria Añejo is made with cane honey, then double distilled and solera system aged in American white oak. Ron Gloria Añejo Cristalino is the Añejo Rum that has gone through a double filtration process. They own the entire process; from planting, harvesting, cane processing, distillation, ageing, and bottling.
Find out more on Ron La Gloria
Oaxaca
Oaxaca has 20 different microclimates and its primary rum-producing regions are the Sierra Mazateca, and the Sierra Norte mountains. Oaxaca makes 97% of Mexico’s Mezcal, but hidden behind the smoke, there’s a long history of people making rum at home, rum is their passion. Based on subsistence farming, small-scale producers’ cane cultivation is naturally organic, and artisanal rums made at altitude often use direct-fired Mezcal stills. Unaged cane juice rum from panela, or piloncillo is locally known as Aguardiente de Caña.
Tso’ok Rum
Tso’ok Rum is made from wild, hand-harvested Java sugarcane grown in the Sierra Mixe Baja mountains east of Oaxaca. Fresh-cut cane juice is added to clay pots, fermented by wild yeasts, and then double distilled in copper by an old wood-fired copper pot still the Mixe people at about 6500 feet near the village of Totontepec.
Carlos Mendez Blas and Read Spear, the makers of Cuentacuentos mezcal created Tso’ok rum. Ansley Coale of Craft Distillers who brings it into California, tells us the rum is made in very small batches; there’s only one small still, and they use traditional artisanal methods on a mezcal pot still. Crushed fibers are added in fermentation, and rocks are placed on top of the mash to submerge the cane fibers while the natural yeasts on the cane stalks jump-start the fermentation. Distiller Brigide Gutierrez makes Tso’ok Rum, which has an unaged bottling and an expression aged for over 6 months in French oak.
Find out more on Tso’ok Rum
Dakabend Rum
Dakabend Oaxacan Pot Still Rum is made near the remote village of San Cristóbal Lachirioag. Steffin Oghene of Dakabend tells us the story of how cousins Elisandro and, Edgar Gonzalez Ramirez set out to create a mezcal to save their village while living in California back in 1999. Mezcal didn’t exist back then in this hard-to-reach area, so they built their own mezcal palenque and created Mezcal Tosba.
They still make Mezcal today but have a passion for rum and harvest sugarcane. Dakabend means “disobedient one” in the Zapotec language. A nod to how they built their family’s distilling legacy by taking their own path. The starter is created a few weeks before fermentation with pineapples, cane, and piloncillo (sticky brick of raw brown sugar).
The distillery perched on a mountain terrace is surrounded by growing agave, mangos, banana, coffee, papaya, pineapples, and flowers which are grown to help the micro-climate for the open fermentation of the rum. Everything is used to help start the process in a continuous fermentation.
Dakabend cuts the ‘caba’ sugarcane, squeezes it fresh and sends it down a pipe from the mill to the fermentation tanks twice distilled in pot stills before bottling. They bottle an unaged Oaxacan White Rum and a 4-year-old Oaxacan Rum aged in American white oak barrels.
Find out more on Dakabend Rum
Paranubes Oaxacan Rum
Paranubes is made in Río Tuero in the Sierra Mazateca mountains high in the ‘cloud forest’ about 6 hour’s drive north of Oaxaca City. Launched in 2017, cofounder Francisco Terrazas works with José Luis Carrera the 3rd generation producer-partner. Made by freshly pressed cane juice which is wild fermented naturally in pine vats fermenting fresh pressed juice of sugarcane grown in the rich soil. Distilled to proof with no additives.
When Paranubes first hit the U.S. market in 2017, it sparked enthusiasm from adventurous rum drinkers.
Paranubes presents two special releases; Caña Morada named after the single-varietal cane used from organic cane juice in a rolling fermentation that lasts approximately 4 months. Mezquite bark, a local shrub, and bagasse are added to fermentation.
Paranubes Añejo Ex-Tequila is created from Paranubes Blanco (made with 4 varieties of cane; Caña Criollo, Caña Dulce, Caña Duro, and Caña Morada) and aged for 18-24 months in ex-Tequila American oak barrels. In addition, to single-varietal bottlings, Paranubes will extend its aged rums.
Find out more on Paranubes Rum
Santa María Tlalixtac
High in the Sierra Norte cloud forest, this tiny remote village is making waves in Mexican rum. It’s home to the third-generation Krassel family, who settled in the Cañada region in 1938. For years they supplied small local towns and regional fiestas with their aguardiente de cana, even being a flying liquor supplier to the region. but It’s not likely you’ll visit there, a 4-hour dirt track from the nearest highway.
Río Blanco Organic Distillery
The Krassel family at Río Blanco distillery produces MK Organic White Rum, and MK Organic 3-year-old aged rum all made from 100% cane juice. In 2004, they created MK organic rum and now they supply the following brands through partnerships.
Find out more on Río Blanco Organic Distillery
Alambique Serrano
Set up by Jason Cox of El Destilado restaurant in Oaxaca city, and Cinco Sentidos mezcal. Alambique Serrano partners with The Krassel family who hand-harvest cane from the steep hillsides of the Cañada region. Transported by horse, donkey, or mule to the trapiche to be milled that day. The juice is filtered by gravity in a system of hoses that can be 2km long before reaching the distillery.
Once at the distillery, the cane juice arrives in stainless steel fermenting tanks, where it’s wild fermented for 6-10 days. It’s then distilled on The Krassel Still (pictured) invented by Max, and is considered a continuous still.
Alambique Serrano bottlings are in batch-numbered Blends, and Single Casks
Find out more on Alambique Serrano
Cañada Rum
From deep in the Oaxaca cloud forest, Cañada rum is named after the region. Produced by the Krassel family who have been making agricultural rums for the last three generations. The cane used for Cañada is a Java varietal, and it is grown at high altitudes on small plots among oaks, fruit trees, and corn fields. The cane takes 12 to 16 months to reach maturity and is cared for organically, once it reaches maturity it is hand-harvested with machetes.
The cane is milled on-site, and the juice is piped down to fermentation tanks at the distillery, where native yeasts activate the juice. After 6-10 days of fermentation in steel tanks, it’s column-distilled on the Krassel Still and aged for 15 months in American Oak casks in the tropical climate.
On the label, you’ll see batch numbers, for example, CA (Caña Alta) is from cane grown at 900m – 1200m altitude.
Find out more on Cañada Rum
El Destilado
El Destilado was inspired by travels across Latin America for a London-based joint venture who set up in 2019 as an independent bottler and importer specialising in mezcal and Mexican rum. Their El Destilado Wild Fermented Rum is made by the Krassel family at their distillery.
El Destilado also bottles limited runs of Aguardiente De Panela (evaporated cane juice) by Maestro Delfino Cruz in San Pablo Ameyaltepec, Puebla, and Aguardiente De Cana by Maestro Edgar Gonzalez in San Cristobal Lachirioag, Oaxaca.
Find out more on El Destilado
Camazotz rum
Founded in 2019, Camazotz rum has been made by a second-generation producer Leoncio Gaspar in the Sierra Mixe in the eastern highlands. Camazotz translates to a bat god. It’s hand-harvested, fresh cane juice naturally/wild fermented by airborne yeasts. Fermentation can take from a couple of days to a couple of weeks depending on the climate at the time of production. It’s pot distilled in a wood-fired pot still, moved from the distillery by donkey, and then transported to Tlacolula de Matamoros near Oaxaca for bottling un-aged.
Camazotz is a hand-made raw sugar cane rum produced in the eastern highlands of Oaxaca, approximately 5 hours northeast of the capital, and locally referred to as aguardiente de caña, the juice of the sugar cane, grown by the family, without pesticides, is raw pressed by hand, then fermented in open barrels using only wild airborne yeasts. Distilled to proof in small batches of up to 300 ltrs using a traditional alembic copper pot still, the liquid is transported by mules 5km up the mountainside ready for collection.
Find out more on Camazotz Rum
Rey Eteco
In 2009 Salvador Arellanes better known as “don Chava”, a third-generation sugarcane grower started cultivating in San Sebastián Etla, just north of Oaxaca. In 2014, they launched Rey Eteco, 100% artisanal and agricultural rum.
Find out more on Rey Eteco Rum
Chiapas
Chiapas is the southernmost state in Mexico, bordering Guatemala. Defined by mountainous highlands, Agua Azul Waterfalls or El Aguacero Waterfalls and dense rainforest are dotted with Mayan archaeological sites and Spanish colonial towns.
Rones de México
Rones de México is a family-owned distillery since 1948 located in Tapachula, Chiapas, the southernmost state bordering Guatemala. The range includes Deadhead Rum and Ron Bonampak. Deadhead Rum is the shrunken monkey head bottle and will be instantly recognisable to Tiki rum lovers.
Their process distills freshly pressed sugarcane juice in a pot still and molasses in a column still, creating two distinct types of rum. These rums are then aged in American oak ex-Rye whiskey barrels and Chiapan Oak barrels, which impart unique flavours. Master Blender, Jorge Perez, meticulously blends these two rums to achieve a harmonious and distinctive taste.
Rones de México is committed to natural and eco-friendly production practices and prioritizes transparency. They have partnered with the Saving Our Sharks Foundation to support efforts in safeguarding sharks, preserving oceans, and saving lives in the Mexican Caribbean.
In 2024, Deadhead Rum will expand to South Africa, its 30th country. Visitors to Cozumel in Mexico can now enjoy unique Deadhead Rum tasting experiences at the Cocomama Tiki Room and the brand plans to add six more Mexican cruise ship port locations where you can enjoy their rum.
You can book a tour at Rones de México distillery, one of the few to show the rum-making process from fermentation, distillation, ageing, and finally taste the rum. Book here by email
Find out more on Rones de México
Pa’lante Rum
Founded in 2022 by a Cuban-American family from Brooklyn, New York, Pa’lante is a premium artisanal rum made in Tapachula, Chiapas. Pa’lante Rum presents a White, Rum, and Dark Rum, Botanical Rum, and Coffee Rum.
Pa’lante Dark Rum is an 8-year-old blend aged in American white oak barrels and Mexican white oak.
Find out more on Pa’lante Rum
Pro Tip: It’s best to plan ahead of your trip, contact producers, and see what’s possible. Trying to visit remote cane farms in Oaxaca could be long and complicated, and you can easily lose a day driving in the mountains. If you base yourself centrally in Oaxaca and try local rums at Mezcal bars like La Mezcaloteca, or Paranubes has an office located in Mezcal Vago Bar Oaxaca you can book a tasting.
Oaxaca is a culinary capital and gateway to UNESCO sites, but also home to some award-winning cocktail bars to discover. in Michoacán, Uruapan, try La Charanderia to taste the local Charanda’s. De La O Cantina in Guadalajara, and Licorería Limantour in Mexico City, and the beach resorts have Tiki bars with options to try local rum drinks when you’re on vacation.
Now you can reflect on the many styles made, and perhaps notice a pattern of shared knowledge in the mountain rums, plus a variety of techniques that ensures there’s a Mexican rum out there for you. Whether you visit Mexico for a beach vacation, cruise, or a rum and sites pilgrimage – let this kickstart your next Mexican adventure.
For more general info visit Mexico Tourism
Plan your next taste of Mexican rum on The Rum Geography Mexico Rum Map
Special thanks to all the brand owners who contributed to this article for their insights.
Image credits to the rum producers, Canva Pro, and user contributions.
