What is
BACANORA?
A Bold Spirit from Sonora, Mexico
Bacanora is an agave-based spirit that has been an integral part of the Sonoran culture accompanying many family celebrations. Its distillation and consumption was once prohibited, but its importance survived reflecting the resilience of the Sonorans. And its unique herbal, spicy and earthy notes set it apart from tequila or mezcal.
At Sunora Bacanora, we combine traditional bacanora craftsmanship with modern quality standards to create a premium agave spirit.
Made with only three natural ingredients— Agave Pacifica juice, proprietary yeast, and water from the Rio Zanjon Aquifer— Sunora Bacanora contains no additives and no artificial flavoring. The result is a clean and refined bacanora that reflects the true character of Sonora, Mexico.
How Bacanora is Made
Steeped in the heritage of Sonora Mexico, Sunora Bacanora is crafted using traditional artisan methods, passed down through generations. Made in small batches, it follows a meticulous nine-step process to ensure the highest quality.
The Nine Steps
of Bacanora Production
Growing Agave Pacifica
Bacanora uses only Agave Pacifica, native to Sonora. These hardy plants thrive in harsh climates, taking up to six years to mature. At harvest, the piñas (cores) weigh between 44–88 lbs.
Harvesting & Leaf Removal
Using a tool called a Coa, skilled Jimadores remove the spiky leaves, exposing the piña. This physically demanding process, while simultaneously requiring meticulous precision of leaf removal, highlights the value of a skilled Jimadore's expertise.
Roasting
Traditionally, piñas have been roasted in underground ovens called Mallas fired by mesquite, infusing the piñas with a bold, smoky flavor. Advancements in technology have provided a safer, more sustainable method of cooking using an autoclave that gives the roasted piñas a sweeter, milder taste. Sunora Bacanora embraces a proprietary combination of the traditional malla roasting in our lava rock ovens fired by pecan wood, gathered from trimmings on our ranch’s pecan grove, along with an autoclave to deliver its uniquely sweet & slightly smoky profile.
Extraction
The roasted piñas are then crushed to extract their juices. Traditionally, this was done with a tahona (stone wheel) pulled around a large collection table by a donkey. Today producers generally utilize mechanical crushers to improve yields and avoid waste of untapped piñas, whilst affording the donkeys more interesting daily work.
Fermentation
The extracted juices are fermented in large tanks or barrels with fresh water for 6–12 days, depending on the temperature and practices. At our on-site distillery, Sunora Bacanora is fermented in a network of oak tanks that provide a continued presence of our proprietary yeast ensuring flavor consistency across each batch.
Distillation
The fermented liquid is distilled in pot stills that traditionally were heated over mesquite charcoal fires. Sunora Bacanora uses a team of copper pot stills created by local craftsmen with features rooted in bacanora’s storied history. Our first- distillation pot stills are nearly twice the size of the second-distillation stills creating a smoother bacanora. And, in our pursuit of carbon-neutral production, our stills are fired by steam produced by trimmings from our estate’s pecan grove.
Aging Process
Historically, bacanora was distilled and shared for consumption in a rather timely manner. Sunora Bacanora brings an innovative spirit with Reposado, Añejo and Cristalino varieties aged in a variety of spent French & American oak wine barrels. Here Sunora Bacanora takes in the notes of vanilla, caramel and the oak, while mellowing its alcohol profile. Choose the Sunora Bacanora of your choice and know that only 3 ingredients were used: Agave Pacifica juice, our proprietary yeast and water from the Rio Zanjon Aquifer. No additives. No flavoring agents. Just the beauty of Sonora.
Quality Control
At Sunora Bacanora, we guarantee quality through an exclusive and rigorous evaluation process. Each product undergoes specialized testing using advanced technology in our on-site laboratory to ensure it meets Sunora Bacanora’s required level of excellence. Our distillery has been certified by Bacanora Regulatory Council of Sonora with each bottle of Sunora Bacanora carrying a uniquely assigned, trackable hologram sticker as required by the Council.
Bottling
Finally, Sunora Bacanora is carefully bottled on-site at the distillery under strict quality standards, ensuring that each bottle preserves its unique aroma, flavor and characteristics before reaching you. Our team hand-applies the unique elements of Sunora Bacanora’s distinctive packaging furthering our commitment to a high-quality product and creating local jobs.
The Secret to Sunora Bacanora's Flavor
The marrying of time-honored methods and modern advancements that provide safer, environmentally-cleaner production create Sunora Bacanora’s signature profile: sweet & smoky; balanced, yet complex. Sunora Bacanora – more interesting than Tequila and more mixable than Mezcal. And, never any additives – just 3 simple ingredients: Agave Pacifica juice, our proprietary yeast and water from the Rio Zanjon Aquifer.