Estancia Distillery

In 2014, Rio Chenery left New York City and returned to his family home in Jalisco. Rio was witnessing firsthand the worldwide explosion of agave spirits and wanted to participate in bringing more unique Mexican distillates—like those he grew up with—to an international audience. With that goal in mind, Rio founded Estancia.

In the 1960s, Rio’s grandfather, on a business trip working for Tecate beer, stumbled across an unusual agave spirit in the small mountain town of Mascota and fell in love with it. The locals called it raicilla, meaning “little root,” and over the years it became a family favorite. Fast forward fifty years and this is the first spirit Rio set out to share with the world through Estancia.

Rio has expanded the scope of the brand in the years since. In 2018, Estancia launched one of the first Destilados de Pulque to ever reach US shores and has recently added the first Pechuga de Raicilla release as well. Never one to let the moss grow under him, Rio continues to expand upon his mission, remaining at the forefront of unique Mexican style and distillation, yet he and Estancia stay humble: The brand continues to be accessible in both price and quality, working in respectful harmony with his producers.