Alma Tepec Chile Pasilla Liqueur

Alma Tepec Licor de Chile Pasilla Mixe is a handcrafted artisanal liqueur produced in Oaxaca, Mexico. Launched in 2021, it is celebrated as the first ancestral chile liqueur made from the rare Pasilla Mixe chile pepper, which is grown by the indigenous Mixe people at high elevations in the remote Sierra Norte mountains. To create the spirit, the vine-ripened chiles are smoke-dried for several days over oak and mesquite wood in traditional earth ovens before being macerated in column-distilled sugarcane spirit for six to twelve months. Lightly sweetened with raw cane sugar and bottled at 40 percent alcohol by volume, this liqueur offers a deeply complex nose of mesquite smoke, cocoa, and dried berries.

On the palate, it delivers a smooth, full-bodied symphony of rich caramelized red fruits, chocolate, coffee, and clove, followed by a long, warming finish with a distinct, building chile heat. Because it is noticeably less sweet than many traditional modifiers, its savory and smoky character cuts beautifully through cocktails without overwhelming them with sugar. Bartenders frequently use a half-ounce pour to add a sophisticated, spicy twist to classic drinks like Margaritas, Palomas, Bloody Marys, or Espresso Martinis. It can also be enjoyed entirely on its own, served neat or chilled on the rocks as a complex sipping digestif.