Sierra Norte White Corn Whiskey

Sierra Norte White Corn Whiskey is made from hand-selected heirloom white corn grown in Oaxaca's Sierra Norte Mountains, marking a rare intersection of Mexican terroir and American whiskey tradition. Distilled at Destilería y Bodega Abasolo in Jilotepec de Abasolo, this single-barrel spirit applies bourbon-style techniques to a grain you won't find in a Kentucky mash bill. Each barrel yields a finite run, and the corn itself — a landrace variety cultivated by Indigenous farmers in the high-altitude valleys of Oaxaca — brings minerality and sweetness distinct from the standard yellow dent corn of the American whiskey belt. This is what whiskey looks like when you swap out the grain and keep the craft. The white corn is sourced directly from Sierra Norte farming communities, where the elevation and volcanic soil lend the kernels a density and oil content that survive distillation. After milling, the grain is cooked, fermented, and distilled in copper pot stills, then aged in new charred oak barrels to meet the requirements of the whiskey category. The production mirrors bourbon methodology but the raw material is entirely Oaxacan. Destilería y Bodega Abasolo operates under the oversight of master distiller David Bañuelos, who has spent years refining the fermentation and barrel programs to honor the corn's terroir rather than mask it. The result is a whiskey that drinks like a hybrid — part American grain spirit, part echo of Oaxaca's agricultural memory. On the palate, expect a rounder, creamier body than rye-forward bourbons, with notes of toasted masa, caramel, and a light peppery finish that nods to the corn's mineral backbone. The sweetness is present but restrained, and the oak influence is balanced rather than dominant. Pour it neat to appreciate the grain character, or use it in an Old Fashioned where the corn's natural oils carry the bitters and citrus. It also pairs well with mole negro, grilled pork, or a simple plate of Oaxacan string cheese and membrillo — foods that share the same high-altitude terroir as the corn itself. Sierra Norte White Corn Whiskey is available for pickup at Off Premise Chicago, 1128 W Armitage Ave in Lincoln Park, with local Chicago delivery and nationwide shipping.