La Pendencia, near Pinos (Zacatecas)

Landmark 15 km north of Pinos

A 17th-century hacienda north of Pinos that is said to be Zacatecas's first mezcal producer, still distilling by hand.

La Pendencia is an old hacienda in the high, dry country north of Pinos, and one of the best places in Zacatecas to see how mezcal is made. The estate dates from the 17th century, when it was a farming and cattle ranch, one of the many haciendas that grew up to supply the mining towns along the Camino Real de Tierra Adentro.

It is known as the first mezcal-producing hacienda in the state, and the distillery has kept working for around two centuries. Production is still artisanal: agave hearts are cooked, crushed, fermented and distilled in small batches, and the hacienda bottles its own mezcal under the La Pendencia name. It is part of the mezcal route that links distilleries on the high plateau of Zacatecas and San Luis Potosí.

A visit means walking through the old stone buildings, seeing the ovens, vats and stills, learning the process from agave to bottle, and finishing with a tasting. The architecture alone, with its thick walls and courtyards, gives a good sense of hacienda life on the northern frontier. Bottles are sold on site.

What to see and do

Take a guided tour of the distillery, from the agave ovens to the stills.
Taste the hacienda's mezcal and buy a bottle to take home.
Walk around the 17th-century hacienda buildings and courtyards.
Combine the trip with Pinos's old mines and center on the same day.

Getting there

La Pendencia is about 20 km north of Pinos, roughly 25 minutes by car on the paved road that runs from Pinos toward the Zacatecas–San Luis Potosí highway. There is no regular tourist transport, so go by car or taxi. Tours are best arranged in advance through the hacienda's social media; ask about days and times before you go.

15 km north of Pinos

Directions from Pinos on Google Maps

Distances are in a straight line; the road is usually longer.