Cazcanes Nuestras Raíces—a small-batch, hand-crafted agave distillate—has just earned a perfect 100-point score from Wine Enthusiast. It’s the first time in the publication’s 46-year history that any spirit has achieved this honor.
Over 25,000 products are blind-tasted each year. And now, a singular agave spirit made with a salvaged 50-year-old Chevy engine and spring water chosen generations ago has broken through.
For Cazcanes—one of the fastest-growing independent, additive-free tequila brand in the U.S.—this isn’t just a trophy.
While celebrity-backed, factory-made tequilas dominate shelves, Nuestras Raíces was never built for scale- it was built and crafted by Humberto Alvarado, a third-generation distiller who still cooks agave in a low-pressure autoclave with wood-fire, low-pressure autoclave and shreds fibers with that legendary 50-year old Chevy inline-six engine, and finishes the process in a handmade still in La Estancita, a remote jungle village in Jalisco, Mexico.
“Humberto’s methods predate the formal tequila category,” says Jon-Paul Fortunati, Cazcanes’ Chief Innovation Officer. “This historic perfect score is extraordinary validation for the traditional techniques he’s dedicated his life to.” So what exactly is an agave distillate? Unlike tequila, which is tightly regulated by denomination-of-origin rules, agave distillate represents the older, purer way of making agave spirits in Mexico. Nuestras Raíces uses only Blue Weber agave, natural spring water, and wild yeast. The result is untamed, vibrant, and agave-forward.
Bottled at still strength (47% ABV), the tasting experience is striking: a bright, herbaceous nose with lime, cut grass, and roasted pepper; a lush, full-bodied palate of cooked agave, sea salt, cantaloupe, and green apple; and a long, mineral-driven finish.
Unsurprisingly, the inaugural 2025 release sold out in under seven hours. A limited number of bottles made it to select retailers, but the next release isn’t expected until summer 2026. Sign up at cazcanes.com to get first access.
