The name Santa Catarina refers to Saint Catherine of Alexandria, a saint and martyr venerated in the Catholic tradition, while Albarradas was the name given by the Spaniards to the defensive stone parapets built by the indigenous people to protect themselves from their enemies.

Santa Catarina Albarradas is distinguished by its rich cultural heritage, especially in its traditions and crafts. The town is known for its ancestral mezcal production in clay pots, a practice that has endured for more than three generations.

Located about 50 minutes from Tlacolula de Matamoros, passing through the municipality of Díaz Ordaz, Santa Catarina Albarradas lies at 1,650 meters above sea level in the Sierra Norte of the Oaxaca Valley. Although the town itself is little known, its mezcals are recognized and praised by those who appreciate and savor the beverage.

Production here is scarce and unique, partly due to the small number of producers, which corresponds with the modest population of roughly 500 inhabitants. Other limiting factors include the difficulty of access—since the road is relatively new and still unpaved—and drastic climate variations caused by the altitude and proximity to the Sierra Norte.

The mezcal of Albarradas has distinctive and intriguing characteristics. Native maguey species growing in this region include Espadín (A. angustifolia Haw), Tobalá (A. semanniana and A. potatorum), Sierra Negra (A. americana), and Jabalí (A. convallis). These thrive in nutrient-rich dark soils and in areas with elevated mineral content from the surrounding mountain rocks and rubble.

Mezcal production is a family endeavor in the community. Women contribute to lighter tasks such as gathering branches to cover the maguey in the oven or preparing bark for fermentation. Young boys help harvest ripe maguey or assist the maestros during long nights of distillation, while elders chop the cooked maguey before it is crushed with wooden mallets.

As in other communities with ancestral methods, the maguey is cooked in conical stone or earth ovens and then crushed by hand or with a Chilean tahona. Fermentation takes place in wooden or cement vats, where barks such as tepehuaje and water oak are added to balance temperature fluctuations caused by strong winds. These barks contain enzymes and natural yeasts that sustain spontaneous fermentation. The water used comes from local streams fed by the surrounding mountains.

Distillation is carried out in locally crafted clay pots with capacities ranging from 70 to 100 liters, depending on the maestro’s preference. This characteristic, shared with the mezcals of Minas, results in small-scale productions but with remarkable flavor and aroma.

For all these reasons, the mezcals of Albarradas embody a refined balance of earthy, resinous, pine, bark, and citrus notes, shaped by every stage of the process and by the producers’ dedication and aspirations for continuous improvement—qualities that shine through in the final product.