REGION: Oaxaca

Margarita Blas and her son Carlos Mendez produce Cruz de Fuego together in Santiago Matatlán, Oaxaca. They employ only traditional methods; there are no automated processes used in production. Agave is cooked in earthen ovens, milled with stone tahona, and distilled twice in copper pot stills.

Dakabend is produced using fresh sugarcane juice and piloncillo in the northeastern mountains of Oaxaca. The Sierra Norte environment is tropical, and the most common crops are coffee and cane. Dakabend was created as an avenue for local distillers to release their unique take on aguardiente.