Wild-fermented Oaxacan rum. Bottled in Santa Fe.
In the highlands of Cuicatlán, Oaxaca — 4,000 feet above sea level — sugarcane grows in heat, stone, and stillness. This is not a region built around rum. There are no tourist trails or industrial operations. Just a few families working by hand, growing and harvesting single-origin cane on a small scale, season by season.
Once cut, the cane is rested — not rushed — allowing sugars to concentrate under the sun. Then it’s crushed in trapiches welded together and passed down by the same family who distills it. There are no conveyor belts. No modern shortcuts. Just plants, tools, and time.
Fermentation is wild. Native yeasts in the open mountain air do the work, slowly and unpredictably, for 7 to 10 days — sometimes longer. This ambient fermentation process gives the spirit its character: layered, expressive, and alive.
Distillation happens on a custom 8-plate column still, designed to retain aromatics and preserve structure. Some of the resulting rum is bottled at still strength — uncut, unfiltered, untamed. Some is aged in ex-bourbon barrels in Oaxaca, where the humid, high-altitude climate deepens and concentrates flavor. And some is blended in small batches and perfectly proofed to create something balanced, but never boring.
All Major Arcana rum is made from 100% single-origin cane. No added sugar. No coloring. No artificial flavoring. Every decision is deliberate, but the outcome always leaves room for the unexpected — the way rum should.
House Blend
Crafted by bartenders, for bartenders — and for anyone who likes a good drink made well. Our House Blend is a union of unaged and oak-aged rums where utility meets character. The result is clean, expressive, and balanced — a spirit that plays well in a cocktail but stands confidently on its own.
Perfectly proofed to 42.5% ABV, it’s strong enough to shine in a daiquiri, stirred cocktail, or tiki build, but soft enough for sipping without effort. Whether it’s going into your house spec or your favorite glass at home, this bottle was made to be poured, not fussed over.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Soft lilac and chamomile, white raisin, unripened pear, and toasted vanilla. There’s a suggestion of crème anglaise in the background, with a whisp of hay and raw cashew.
Palate: Creamy and lifted —propolis and poached pear with warm cream, green walnut, and crushed pepper. A little oxidized apple and nougat give it shape, finishing clean with a floral snap of nasturtium.
Still Strength
This is the closest you’ll get to the heart of the cane. Fermented wild with native yeasts in Cuicatlán’s open air, distilled on a custom 8-plate column still, and bottled at 53.8% ABV with no filtering, no dilution, and no post-distillation interference. You’re tasting the raw material, the fermentation, and the distillate — fully intact.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Bruised pineapple and plantain peel, underripe stone fruit, kumquat, sweetgrass, and the quiet vegetal snap of just-cut cane. Notes of chamomile pollen, white pepper, and petrichor
Palate: Bright and nervy up front — mango skin and green olive brine, layered with cinnamon bark, fresh ginger juice, and anise seed. Mid-palate brings texture: beeswax, cucumber skin, and the grip of raw cacao. Finishes long, more pineapple and plantain peel with a minerality, like rain off concrete.
A rum for those who want to understand the process, not just the product.
Single Barrel Series
These releases begin with the same wild-fermented distillate as our Still Strength — expressive, structured, and full of character — before being laid to rest in ex-bourbon barrels in the highlands of Oaxaca. Over the course of 25 to 28 months, something quiet and transformative takes place as the barrels breathe the warm mountain air.
The result is more than just aged rum — it’s a spirit that has absorbed its surroundings and deepened in tone, texture, and length. These are sipping rums, built for contemplation, slow evenings, and small pours that go a long way. Bottled at cask strength and free of additives, they preserve the nuance of barrel, place, and time. No two casks are alike, but they share a common origin — truly sibling barrels.
Ideal on their own, with a splash of cool water, or alongside food that leans roasted, cured, or caramelized. Best opened after dusk. Better shared with friends and strangers alike.
Single Barrel #256 – Purple Label
Cask Strength | 52.2% ABV | Aged 28 Months | Ex-Bourbon Barrel | Yield: 91 bottles
Distilled in Cuicatlán, Oaxaca | Aged in Oaxaca
The richest and most dessert-driven of the three. Barrel 256 shows plush spice and round sweetness without tipping into syrupy weight. It’s layered, aromatic, and warming — a deeper companion to the brightness found in our younger expressions.
Nose:
Torched panela, cinnamon stick, candied ginger, and the cooling lift of peppermint leaf. There's a resinous backbone that reads like fresh sawn juniper and citrus peel left to dry in a pastry kitchen.
Palate:
Apple tarte tatin, coffee bean, toasted pecan, and dark chocolate with a hint of burnt orange zest. A grounding note of bizcochitos fades slowly, leaving a finish like espresso steam and warm oak.
Serving notes:
Perfect for slow sipping after dinner or paired with dark chocolate, aged cheese, or toasted nuts.
Single Barrel #252 – Green Label
Cask Strength | 53.4% ABV | Aged 25 Months | Ex-Bourbon Barrel | Yield: 193 bottles
Distilled in Cuicatlán, Oaxaca | Aged in Oaxaca
Structured and smoky, yet lifted — this barrel walks a line between savory and tropical. There’s a natural dryness here that makes it an ideal pour with food, or for those who prefer their aged spirits with texture and restraint.
Nose:
Butterscotch and brown butter over mesquite smoke and sun-dried coconut. Hints of papaya, nutmeg, and roasted piñon nuts add complexity.
Palate:
Dried fig and orange peel, roasted sesame, clove, and charred gingerbread crust. The finish lingers with notes of figgy jam and grilled pineapple core.
Serving notes:
Pairs well with charcuterie, grilled pork, or mole negro. Excellent neat or with a single cube.
Single Barrel #261 – Red Label
Cask Strength | 52.7% ABV | Aged 25 Months | Ex-Bourbon Barrel | Yield: 175 bottles
Distilled in Cuicatlán, Oaxaca | Aged in Oaxaca
This is the most textural and aromatic of the trio — nutty and slightly savory with an elegant floral undercurrent. Barrel 261 leans contemplative and refined, rewarding time in the glass.
Nose:
Clove oil, toasted marzipan, and the warm richness of caramelized plantain. A subtle earthiness lingers underneath — dried sage, pipe tobacco, and antique leather.
Palate:
Macaroon, nonpareil almond, browned sugar, and soft baking spice. The texture is silken, finishing with a light touch of loquat and a corner of slightly charred bread pudding.
Serving notes:
Best enjoyed in a wide glass with a splash of water. Try it alongside roasted root vegetables, spiced nuts, or panela cheese.
Stockists
New Mexico
Because great spirits shouldn’t be out of reach.
We started Major Arcana with a simple idea: New Mexico deserves great spirits — not eventually, but first.
Over the years, we’ve traveled thousands of miles to find spirits that moved us. The kinds of bottles that rarely make it to shelves here — if they make it at all. Distillates with clarity. Fermentations that take time. Processes guided by people, not factories. Along the way, we found rums that felt singular, grounded, and full of place. And we knew we wanted to share them where we live and with people we love.
So we bottle them here — in Santa Fe — for New Mexico. Not as an afterthought, but as our starting point. Because for too long, spirits like these have been out of reach in our home state — and we believe they shouldn’t be.
Major Arcana is about access, care, and craft. It’s about building something that reflects where we are and where we’re headed. And while we started by bringing the rare home, we’re already laying the groundwork to make something entirely our own — right here in New Mexico.
We don’t send much. But when we do, it’s worth opening — new releases, events, and the kinds of updates you actually want in your inbox.
No spam. No fluff. We’ll only reach out to improve upon the silence.
Have a question, want to place an order, or just want to say hi?
Reach us anytime at MajorArcanaSpirits@gmail.com