For over 116 years the Pacheco family has been making the finest Charanda in Uruapan, Michoacán, Mexico. The brand is named after the city of Uruapan, in honor of the Pacheco’s Charanda’s longstanding history in the region. However, the family’s history in distillation goes much further back in time. It was in 1907 that Don Cleofas Murgia decided to make the move from making mezcal to distilling cane as at the time there was no money in mezcal and cane distillates were a more profitable endeavor. Miriam Pacheco carries on the Charanda making tradition and proudly runs the family business today.

The Pacheco’s desire to protect and preserve the region’s tradition of cane distillation is best exemplified when in 2013, Fernando Pacheco (Miriam’s brother) lead the charge in the creation of the D.O. (Denomination of Origin) protecting Charanda.

Charanda is a D.O. protected cane distillate that can only be made in 16 municipalities in Michoacán. The regulations regarding the D.O. for Charanda is very specific and revolves around the unique deep reddish soil type that is found in this region especially. The original Tarascan’s, in their native language Purepecha, called it “Charanda” meaning “tierra rojiza”.

This red volcanic soil is extremely high in minerality and iron when combined with warm days and cool nights create the perfect environment for the sugarcane to grow.

The Pacheco’s estate sugarcane is grown at an elevation of 4,180 feet above sea level. It is a very tropical climate in which in the areas surrounding the fields one will likely find mango and berries growing alongside. In addition, there are over 5 different varieties of bananas (wild and cultivated) in close proximity to these cane fields. This certain environment is ideal for the cane, which stands tall against the beautiful vista.

Combined, these factors contribute directly to the complexity of the Charanda naturally forming a complex, fragrant, delicate yet somehow still deeply flavored cane distillate.