Our Impact

Conservation

Our mission at Los Cantiles 1905 is to preserve and spread the cultural legacy of the Ópata people and their traditional drink. A centuries-old inheritance deserves to endure for future generations—those who will in turn conserve its artisanal production and preserve the essence of its origin. These spirits constitute part of our Sonoran identity, as unique as the bottles we use to store and transport them. This is a craft that resists standardization and acceleration, because the plants used to produce our spirits must mature for years and often decades before their patient, careful transformation into spirits can begin.

Part of our mission is to also revive other local customs unique to the Sonoran sierra: the nearly extinct production of palm baskets and hats, another legacy of the Ópata; the artisanal production of teguas, the hand-made leather boots used by our ancestors; and the emblematic music and songs of our mountainous region. In this way, we work to support the social and economic fabric of Sonora’s mountain communities, contributing to the conservation of our local culture and traditions by providing equitable pay and resources for sustainable practices with an eye toward the future impact of industry on our planet. 

Bottles

With gratitude for nature’s richness, Los Cantiles 1905 is committed to the conservation of our planet and is constantly in search of new ways to reduce our environmental impact at every stage of production. Our bottles are the perfect example of this: fabricated with used and discarded glass, our local supplier crushes and smelts the recycled material in a special forge. After it has been liquified, it is reshaped and blown into of our uniquely-shaped bottle. This production is entirely artisanal—each bottle is made by hand, one by one, without the use of any modernized or automated machinery. 

Our spirits depend on tradition and the natural world: at Los Cantiles 1905 we are committed to taking action to preserve our home and build community with individuals and organizations that share our goal of positively impacting our region. 

Palm

Once our bottles are finished, they are transported to the community of Nacori Chico in Sonora, where they are cleaned and sent to the nearby ranching community of Buena Vista. Thanks to a small group of female artisans, this is one of the few places where the Ópata tradition of weaving with wild palm is still practiced in small earthen dwellings called huukies, which are dug halfway underground to more easily maintain the temperature and humidity levels needed to keep palm leaves pliable and supple. These talented weavers transform the wild palm into works of woven art, including nacoreño hats, guaris (tortilla baskets), mats, baskets and pouches, among other unique articles that help keep their endangered art alive, such as the small palm rings that adorn the neck of our bottles—each one carrying a unique and personal touch. 

Made with conscientiousness and respect, our bottles contain Ópata spirit in more ways than one. After being filled, the bottles are labeled and placed into boxes stamped with a lot number and the signature of master distiller José Luis Portillo. Finally, the product is sent to the United States where it can be appreciated by all those who care to savor the legacy of the Sonoran sierra.