Tio Pedro first began working at palenques in his hometown of Santa Catarina Minas when he was twenty years old – over 50 years ago. Now in his mid 70’s, Tio Pedro recalls at the ripe young age of 62, he was able to finally afford to build his own small distillery in his backyard, he called it La Esperanza. His small underground oven can fit about three tons of agave, although he often roasts much less.

Tio Pedro’s nephew Lalo and his extended family help him mash the roasted agave with wooden mallets, ferment in pine tanks with water from a local well. Tio Pedro maintains the centuries-old tradition of Santa Catarina Minas, using clay pot stills made in Santa María Atzompa. The clay pots lend a fuller body and mineral texture to his spirits, which often possess a distinct ripe banana sweetness and notes of cocoa powder and honey.

Tio Pedro’s batches are on the very small side – sometimes the result of just one tina fermenting. We are honoured to exclusively import and share this brand with Australia.