While the sugar cane plant originated in southeast Asia, the people of Mexico have been using it for a variety of different purposes since the plant arrived via Spanish colonists in the 1500s. It was those same Spanish colonists who prohibited the production of “homemade spirits” through the late 18th century in order to protect sales of Spanish brandy. During this Spanish prohibition, rural producers all over the country continued to produce their sugarcane aguardiente or chinguirito as it was often called.