Created in 2001 by Monica Leyva with her brother, Rubén Leyva, Pajarote explores and shares the Mexican tradition of ponche—essentially, punch—but here expressed using flavors specific to Mexican heritage in the form of hand-crafted liqueurs. Tamarind, Chocolate, Guava, and Ginger lead the charge, with more flavors in the export pipeline (including a delightful Mexican take on the traditional Italian red bitter aperitif). The spirits are made using cane distillate drawn from a traditional producer in Jalisco as a base and sweetened with piloncillo (coarse cane sugar), just as Monica’s grandmother sweetened her ponches when Monica was growing up. Following an altruistic model similar to sister-brand Mezonte, the brand also works closely with the communities from which its inspiration is drawn, sourcing ingredients carefully through ethical and sustainable suppliers.
