Prieto y Prieta Maiz de Oaxaca Mexican Corn Whisky 43% 750ml

This is not a Bourbon imitation. This is Oaxacan soul, distilled — made from heirloom native corn, grown in small patches and stone-ground with reverence. It’s earthy, aromatic, and vibrant, with terroir you can taste in every sip.

The nose is rich and unexpected. Toasted masa, caramelised maize, and vanilla pod — yes — but also dried hibiscus, roasted chestnut, and a faint aroma of cacao husk. It’s both toasty and floral, grounded and lifted. There’s a touch of dried fruit — fig and guava — and a whisper of cedar.

The palate is soft but structured. Sweetness up front — toasted corn bread, burnt sugar, and golden syrup — quickly gives way to spice and grain. Mid-palate brings depth: cinnamon stick, tamarind, dried mint, and roasted almond. There’s something distinctly Mexican about the profile — not just the corn, but the warmth, the flavour, the pulse. It doesn’t mimic American whisky. It rewrites the map.

The finish is long, drying, and lightly nutty, with echoes of warm spice, husk, and dried fruit.

Drink it neat or in a hybrid Old Fashioned with piloncillo syrup and molé bitters. It also plays beautifully in a whisky sour with a tamarind twist. This is native grain spirit with a heartbeat — an expression of Mexico’s agricultural soul and a frontier for flavour.

Tasting Profile