Alambique Serrano “Cartier 30”

Cartier 30 is an unaged rum produced in the town of Santa Maria Tlalixtac, Oaxaca. Along the steep slopes of this region, the Krassel family plants, harvests, and distills 100% organic java sugarcane from altitudes as high as 4,000 feet above sea level.

Distilled from fresh cane juice, the name refers to a specific level of alcohol measured on the Cartier scale, which eventually fell out of use in favor of the alcohol by volume. 30 on the Cartier scale translates roughly to 70% abv and was the preferred strength for many folks in the village, where historically it’d be mixed with a bit of fresh cane juice and shot.

This traditional aguardiente is fermented naturally and distilled in the Krassel family’s custom-built still, originally designed by Max Krassel who immigrated to Mexico from Germany in the 1930s. The still produces no heads or tails and the distillation ABV is regulated by the temperature of the cooling chambers and the flow of the fresh cane juice to the boiling chamber.

Bottled at 70.3% abv with no sugar or water added. Funky, grassy, briney, and punchy, this is a rum for fans of unaged rums packed with flavor and character.