De Matachines Lamparillo Agave Spirits

De Matachines Lamparillo is a field-blend agave spirit distilled from agave asperrima — the wild, drought-adapted varietal known regionally as lamparillo — grown in the high desert near Mapimí, Durango and distilled in Nombre de Dios. The same agave fields supply Ultramundo, but De Matachines brings a distinct hand to fermentation and distillation, using cedarwood tanks and a Durango-style copper still fitted with an oak cone condenser. At 45% ABV, this is classic northern Mexican agave spirits: leaner, more mineral-driven, and brighter in structure than most Oaxacan mezcal. The lamparillo agaves grow in Durango's scrubland plateau, where elevation, aridity, and limestone soils concentrate sugars slowly over a decade or more. De Matachines roasts the piñas in an earthen pit oven, then crushes them by hand axe rather than mechanical tahona, preserving fiber and pulp in the fermentation. Natural fermentation takes place in cedarwood tanks — a regional signature that contributes resinous, almost piney overtones — before the mosto is double-distilled in a copper still topped with an oak cone condenser. That condenser design, unique to Durango and parts of Zacatecas, shapes the spirit's aromatic profile: the oak cone softens the vapors, yielding a rounder mid-palate without the sharp edges common to all-copper rigs. On the nose, expect white pepper, dried sage, raw agave, and a faint waxy quality reminiscent of beeswax or honeycomb. The palate is bright and saline, with citrus pith, wet stone, and a cedar undertone that echoes the fermentation vessel. The finish is clean, mildly vegetal, and warming without heat. Serve this neat at room temperature alongside grilled fish, green mole, or roasted vegetables — the minerality pairs especially well with charred foods and acidic salsas. It also works beautifully in a simple Paloma or stirred with dry vermouth and a twist. Available for pickup at our Lincoln Park bottle shop at 1128 W Armitage Ave, local Chicago delivery, or nationwide shipping.