Nuestras Raíces, the Acclaimed 100-Point Spirit, Is Back - and It Might Be Better Than the Last
It was in 2025 when Cazcanes released its inaugural Nuestras Raíces (Our Roots), the small-batch production that sold out online in less than seven hours.
Then, in April, Cazcanes earned the first-ever perfect 100-point score for any spirit by industry authority Wine Enthusiast. Fresh off that celebration, Cazcanes is at it again.
The pride of Amatitán, Jalisco, on Tuesday released its latest annual small-batch agave distillate with Nuestras Raíces Edición Especial 2026, crafted with 100% blue weber agave, natural spring water, and wild yeast. Bottled at still strength, 48.1% ABV, the liquid is bright, herbaceous, and boldly agave-forward.
Related: This Tequila Makes History With First-Ever 100-Point Score From Industry Authority
"For Nuestras Raíces 2026, we had the advantage of working with beautifully mature
agave, harvested at peak sweetness," said Cazcanes co-founder Jose Santillan. "With an abundance of agave, we could be incredibly selective and choose only the plants that deliver on depth, richness, and the natural sweetness we seek every time."
The small batch is the work of none other than Humbert Alvarado, a third-generation distiller in the heart of Jalisco. Cazcanes touts Alvarado's "time-honored methods that celebrate purity and craftsmanship," a sight to behold for any true spirit aficionado.
Nuestras Raíces' Roots ...
Cazcanes' latest small batch is made entirely in La Estancita, a hidden jungle enclave between Tequila and Magdalena, Jalisco, and about an hour outside of Guadalajara.
After about a 10-minute walk on a dirt road, where you pass rows of houses, you'll reach Alvarado's time-honored methods, which include slow-cooking the agave under low pressure in a handcrafted wood-fired 4-ton autoclave, custom-built by Alvarado.
Then there's the repurposed 1970s Chevy inline 6-cylinder engine that powers the shredder. Alvarado uses it to tear the agave -- hand-chopped with axes -- into fibrous strands, which are then washed by hand with pure natural spring water to extract the rich agave sugars for fermentation.
"We built it the Mexican way," says Alvarado. "And this is how we've been working ever since. The goal was never to keep the spirit perfectly consistent, but to maintain it. It took 12 months to create this new batch, and you'll discover that season in the final sip."
What to Expect ...
The 2026 iteration is bright and herbaceous on the nose, with notes of fresh lime, salinity, grilled vegetables, and cut grass, layered with grapefruit, mint, roasted pepper, and lightly toasted cumin seed.
Expect a savory palate of roasted peppers, charred vegetables, and sea salt at the core, with a lingering cooked agave sweetness to finish.
Cazcanes Nuestras Raíces Edición Especial 2026 is available in very limited quantities with a suggested retail price of $109.99.
This story was originally published by Men's Journal on Jun 16, 2026, where it first appeared in the Drink section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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This story was originally published June 16, 2026 at 9:00 AM.