For those who, once heartbroken,
kept on loving with their liver
Four agaves, one soul
Espadín
Ensamble
Cuishe
Jabalí
The Santa Fuga
Challenge
Think you know mezcal? Put your senses to the test. A guided tasting with a mystery spirit, Oaxacan bites and a one-of-a-kind sensory activity. Top-rated in Oaxaca.
Born of the maguey
and friendship
Santa Fuga was born from two Oaxacan souls who returned to their roots. Every bottle is a declaration of love for the land, for the ancestral process and for the wild maguey that takes many years to mature.
"For those who, once heartbroken,
kept on loving with their liver."
— Our motto
Cocktails
The Palenque
Master Mezcalero
Jícara
Crescentia cujete or Crescentia alata
The Harvest
Tradition
Ready for your
first bottle?
Four expressions of Oaxacan maguey, distilled using ancestral techniques. Shipping throughout Mexico.
Our Collection
Four expressions of Oaxacan maguey, distilled using ancestral techniques.
A legacy that
will not be rushed
Hands that inherited the fire, the land and the patience of great-grandparents and grandparents. Behind Santa Fuga is the living memory of a mezcal-making dynasty that never rushes the process, safeguarding a tradition we now distill with respect and Oaxacan pride.
Distilled with
an Oaxacan soul
Santa Fuga was born from a passion for ancestral mezcal and deep respect for the wild agaves of Oaxaca. Every bottle tells the story of a unique land, an artisanal process and generations of knowledge.
We work with master mezcaleros who have mastered age-old techniques: pit roasting, fermentation in wooden vats and distillation in clay stills. No additives. No shortcuts.
Maguey takes decades to grow. We give it the time it deserves.
Authenticity
without compromise
We produce at our own palenque, with our own hands and on our own time. No middlemen, no shortcuts, no additives. What's in the bottle is exactly what comes out of the still.
Heritage
worn with pride
The knowledge of three generations of master mezcaleros lives in every distillation. Ancestral technique isn't nostalgia — it's the only way to make real mezcal.
Land
we respect
We only use wild or semi-cultivated agave. For every plant we harvest, we plant three more. Maguey takes decades to grow — the least we can do is protect it.
What defines us
From maguey
to mezcal
Santa Fuga's artisanal process hasn't changed in three generations. Every step is deliberate, every decision sacred.
Selecting the Maguey
We identify mature wild agave plants on the slopes of the Sierra Madre del Sur. We only harvest plants that have fully matured: the maguey must reach its exact sugar point before it is cut.
Jima and Preparation
Using a coa and machete, the jimadores cut away the leaves to reveal the heart of the agave: the piña. The trimming must be perfect — if any leaf is left behind, the mezcal takes on a bitterness that ruins the expression. This step marks the start of all production.
Roasting in an Earthen Pit
The piñas are roasted in a conical pit dug into the earth, covered with red-hot stones and agave fiber. Roasting takes 4 to 6 days depending on the weather, and it's where mezcal gets its signature smoky flavor.
Milling with a Tahona
A one-ton quarry-stone wheel, pulled by a horse, crushes the roasted piñas. This method sets the artisanal process apart: it respects the agave fibers and slowly extracts all their sugars.
Natural Fermentation
The crushed fiber ferments in oak vats using only wild native yeasts. The process takes 7 to 15 days depending on the surrounding conditions.
First Distillation
The first pass is done in a copper still. It yields the "ordinario," a raw spirit that will be refined in the second distillation.
Second Distillation
We separate the "heads" and "tails" with artisanal precision, keeping only the "heart." Because of the organic nature of agave convallis, Jabalí requires more than three distillations to purify its unique compounds.
Hand-Bottled
Every bottle is filled, corked and labeled by hand. The harvest year and alcohol content reflect the exact moment of maturity of each batch — unique and unrepeatable.
The Santa Fuga
Challenge
Theory · Practice · Senses — 5 mezcals, Oaxacan dishes, a talk with an expert and trivia with Oaxacan prizes.
Everything included in one price
5 Mezcals Tasted
From the approachable Espadín to the wild Jabalí — five expressions of maguey, each with its own story and sensory profile.
Oaxacan Bites
Chapulines, quesillo, mole coloradito and Oaxacan chocolate — handmade bites that reveal new dimensions in every glass.
Talk with the Expert
An intimate session with our mezcal expert: the artisanal process, the origins of agave, the rituals of the glass and an open Q&A.
Trivia with Prizes
Live mezcal-culture questions. Trivia with Oaxacan prizes — compete, learn and take home something special.
Bottle Deals
Exclusive discounts for Challenge participants: 10% off, 3-bottle deals or a special Expert Set.
Tasting Card
A printed guide with an aroma wheel and tasting notes for each mezcal — your reference during the session and a keepsake to take home.
5 expressions
of maguey
Every glass tells a different story. Learn to tell them apart, guided by our expert.
Espadín
Citrus, herbal. The most approachable and the perfect starting point for any palate.
Ensamble
(Espadín · Cuishe · Arroqueño)
Complex, floral and mineral. Three distinct agaves in one singular expression.
Cuishe
Herbal, mineral and earthy. Tastes like wet earth after rain in the Oaxacan sierra.
Jabalí
Wild and intense. It takes multiple distillations to reach its unique character. For trained palates only.
Mystery
Spirit
Only the most trained palates can identify it. Will you be the one to discover the agave?
Choose your date
Starting in October, the Santa Fuga Challenge runs every Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Limited spots per session.
A Talk with the
Mezcal Expert
An intimate encounter with the expert who turns maguey into art. Learn firsthand how every bottle of Santa Fuga comes to life.
"Mezcal isn't made — it's listened to. Every agave has its own time, its own voice, its own silence."
During the Challenge you'll have a direct conversation with our mezcal expert: decades of knowledge, mastery of fire and time, and the passion of someone with mezcal in their blood.
The session combines theory — history, process, the vocabulary of aromas and flavors — with practice: glass in hand, nose engaged and palate awake to identify the mystery spirit.
Win prizes
with your palate
Live mezcal-culture questions. Compete, learn and take home something exclusive.
A commemorative Santa Fuga T-shirt or a surprise Oaxacan prize
A handpicked Oaxacan handcrafted piece for second place
The taste of the Challenge stays with you in a special way
Try a sample question
Pick an answer and find out.
Which agave is known as the friendliest and most approachable for beginners?
✓ Espadín is the friendliest, most approachable agave. It accounts for 80% of mezcal production and is the best starting point for exploring the world of maguey. Can you recognize the other three? Come to the Challenge and find out.
Deals
exclusive to participants
Buy your favorite bottles at the event and get prices you won't find any other time of year.
Santa Fuga Challenge participants get an instant 10% off any bottle in our collection that same day.
Take home 3 bottles or a special Expert Set. Perfect as a gift or to start your artisanal mezcal collection.
Set
A pack curated by our mezcal expert: Santa Fuga's two most representative expressions plus a handcrafted Oaxacan jicarita.
Before you book
Tasting + expert talk + live trivia
Limited spots per session
Choose your language when booking
A minimum of 3 people is required for the Challenge. If the group doesn't reach the minimum, the booking is canceled.
Theory + practice · 5 mezcals · trivia
Email us to arrange your group
In the heart
of Oaxaca
Just steps from Oaxaca's historic center. One block from the city's first barrio mágico.
They took
the Challenge
Real experiences from people who took the Santa Fuga Challenge.
"I came in thinking all mezcals tasted the same. I left with a favorite agave."
"More than a tasting, it's an experience that changes the way you understand mezcal."
"We already liked mezcal before we came. Now we appreciate it so much more."
Questions & Answers
How many people do I need for the Challenge?
Is the tasting suitable for beginners?
Is the venue safe for tourists?
Can I book a private group?
Is the experience in English or Spanish?
How does the trivia work and what can I win?
Can I buy discounted bottles at the event?
Book your spot
before they sell out
Spots are limited. Pick your date and secure your place at the Santa Fuga Challenge.
We're in Oaxaca
Write to us to book a tasting, carry Santa Fuga or just talk mezcal.
Send us a message
Contact Information
Sierra Juárez, Oaxaca
Mexico, ZIP 68000
Saturday: 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM