Other uses: the town of Bacanora, Sonora.
Bacanora is an agave-derived liquor made in the Mexican state of Sonora. Its origins are pre-colonial.
The distillation of Bacanora was illegal until 1992, being bootlegged by vinateros for many generations. Since 2000 Bacanora has been issued with an origin denomination bill by the Mexican government. This means that only mezcal produced by the agave variety grown in the Sonora municipalities of Bacanora, Sahuaripa, Arivechi, Soyopa, San Javier, Cumpas, Moctezuma, San Pedro de la Cueva, Tepache, Divisaderos, Granados, Huásabas, Villa Hidalgo, Bacadéhuachi, Nácori Chico, Huachinera, Villa Pesqueira, Aconchi, San Felipe de Jesús, Huépac, Banámichi, Rayón, Baviácora, Opodepe, Arizpe, Rosario de Tesopaco, Quiriego, Suaqui Grande, Onavas, Yécora, Álamos, San Miguel de Horcasitas, Ures, and La Colorada can legally be called Bacanora.
December 11, 2010, El Imparcial Newspaper of Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico, reported a convocation of bacanora producers, including the attendance of the Sonora Governor, Guillermo Padrés Elias. With 5 million agaves under cultivation, this first bacanora congress encouraged the production of quality bacanora. The Director of the Consejo Regulacion del Bacanora, Sr. Luis Raul Siller, awarded Casa Tetakawi S.A. de C.V. with the Merit of 'commercialization', obtained by Adriana Torres de la Huerta, by placing the drink in restaurants and supermarkets. Also awarded 'Bacanora Cielo Rojo' (Red Sky) with the Merit of being 'export quality'. Produced by the Roberto Contreras Mayor family, 'Bacanora Cielo Rojo' is one of the first bacanora available in the U.S., and is being imported by Pueblo Partners Trading Co. (www.pueblopartners.com).