Tequila and mezcal fans are familiar with the agave plant, and the succulent also gets used to make the lesser-known Sonoran bacanora. The agave spirit is over 300 years old, but bacanoraâs production and distribution were banned in 1915, punishable by hanging, making it an underground outlaw liquor until 1992.
In 2000, the Sonoran specialty finally received a denomination of origin, defining how and where bacanora gets made, similar to tequila and mezcal. As a result of its long-time outlaw status, bacanoraâs reach has remained regional for the most part, while its agave cousins gained popularity nationally and abroad.
Founded in 2018 by Rodrigo Bojorquez Bours, Kilinga is a bacanora brand named after his familyâs matriarch as a testament to her passion, joy for life, and uncompromising standards. Bojorquezâs mother also encouraged him to turn his hobby into a full-fledged business, with Kilinga launching in the US, introducing the spirit to American consumers in eye-catching bottles.
