Spiny agave leaves seen up close against a cloudy sky.
Home Mezcal

Designation of Origin · Sierra Norte of Puebla

Mezcal in Chignahuapan

Mezcal DOChignahuapan, since 2015

From agave to glass: how it is made, where to try it and how to enjoy it slowly in the sierra.

How it is made Where to try it

Designation of Origin

A mezcal with an address

Only spirits born inside the protected region can be called mezcal. Since 2015, Chignahuapan has been on that list.

  1. 1994

    The Mezcal Designation of Origin is born

    It is published in the Official Gazette on 28 November.

  2. 2015

    Puebla joins, and Chignahuapan with it

    On 24 December, 115 municipalities of Puebla join the protected region.

  3. 2017

    The standard that defines it

    The official standard sets how it is made and what the label says: category and class.

The plant

It all starts with the agave

It takes many years to mature, sometimes more than a decade. These are three of Puebla’s mezcal agaves.

Close-up of blue-green agave leaves with reddish spines on the tips and edges.

  • Espadín

    Agave angustifolia

    The most widely planted: long, slender leaves, like swords.

  • Tobalá

    Agave potatorum

    Small, with short, broad leaves. It takes many years to grow.

  • Salmiana

    Agave salmiana

    The pulque agave of the region’s agave fields: it gives pulque, a deep-rooted tradition here. In Puebla it is also used for mezcal.

All three are listed among Puebla’s mezcal agaves in the Designation of Origin (Diario Oficial de la Federación, 24 December 2015).

Long agave leaves curving against the light, with spines along their edges.

How it is made

From field to glass, in five steps

  1. Harvest (jima)

    The leaves are cut away to leave the heart of the agave: the piña.

  2. Roasting

    The piñas roast for days in an earth oven with firewood and stones: that is where the smoky taste comes from.

  3. Milling

    The roasted agave is crushed with a mallet, a stone wheel (tahona) or a mill.

  4. Fermentation

    Fibres and juice rest with water in vats of wood, stone or hide, and ferment on their own.

  5. Distillation

    It is distilled in a copper still or a clay pot, usually twice.

Read the label

Ancestral, artisanal or mezcal

  • AncestralEarth oven, mallet or tahona, and clay pot.
  • ArtisanalDirect fire, in copper or clay.
  • MezcalAllows modern equipment, such as autoclaves and columns.

And the colour tells how it was rested:

  • White or youngNot rested
  • Glass-maturedMore than 12 months
  • Rested (reposado)2 to 12 months in wood
  • Aged (añejo)More than 12 months in wood

In Chignahuapan

Agave country

Here the agave is both landscape and custom: it gives pulque, the leaves that wrap barbacoa, and mezcal. At the town’s fairs, producers from the region set up tables with mezcal and fruit liqueurs to taste.

Distilleries? There is no confirmed visitor route yet: the fairs and the festival are the best way in.

A whole agave with broad, spiny leaves in a garden among grasses and rocks.
First edition · 14 and 15 November Mezcal and Taco Festival Artisanal mezcals and tacos from the region, one weekend in town. See the events calendar

Pairing

Mezcal with a taste of the sierra

Mezcal’s smokiness goes well with the local cooking. A few ideas for your table:

Barbacoa served on agave leaves, with limes, rice and salsas on a table with a colourful tablecloth.
Barbacoa and consomméA young mezcal cleanses the palate between tacos.
Blue corn and purple corn tlacoyos cooking on a large comal griddle at a town fair.
Tlacoyos from the griddleCorn, beans and salsa: smoky goes well with toasty.
  • Orange with chili salt
  • Fruit liqueur with bread filled with cheese and fig

Drink responsibly

Mezcal is sipped, little kiss by little kiss

  • Adults onlyIn Mexico alcohol is not sold to minors.
  • Sip by sipSlowly, to taste the agave.
  • Water and foodA glass of water between drinks.
  • If you drink, don’t driveThe sierra has curves and fog.
  • Not with hot springsHeat and alcohol lower blood pressure.

Before you go

Frequently asked questions

Does Chignahuapan have the Mezcal Designation of Origin?

Yes. The municipality has been part of the protected region since the resolution published in Mexico’s Official Gazette on 24 December 2015, which added 115 municipalities of Puebla.

What is the difference between mezcal and pulque?

Pulque is fermented aguamiel from the pulque agave and is not distilled. Mezcal is made from the roasted heart of the agave, which is milled, fermented and distilled.

What do ancestral and artisanal mean on the label?

They are categories in the official standard. Ancestral mezcal is roasted in an earth oven, milled with a mallet or tahona and distilled in a clay pot. Artisanal also allows mills and copper stills, always over direct fire.

Can I visit a mezcal distillery in Chignahuapan?

For now there is no distillery visitor route we can confirm. The easiest way to get to know the region’s mezcal is at the town’s fairs and festival, where producers offer tastings.

When is the Mezcal and Taco Festival?

On 14 and 15 November 2026, and it will be its first edition. Check the events calendar before your trip.

How should I drink mezcal?

Slowly, in small sips and at room temperature, to notice the aroma of the agave. Have water and some food with it. Adults only, and if you drink, don’t drive.

Before and after the toast

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