Hildegardo 'Japo' Joya, Guardian of Raicilla’s Coastal Soul, Dies at 92 ~ L.A. TACO

Hildegardo 'Japo' Joya, Guardian of Raicilla’s Coastal Soul, Dies at 92 ~ L.A. TACO

Japo had a presence that loomed large everywhere his raicilla landed, whether that was in one of Mexico’s most beloved cumbia mezcal bars, like Guadalajara’s Pare de Sufrir, where people order raicilla by name of the master distiller instead of brands they are associated with. Or in Torrance on Madre’s mezcal menu, where they still have 20 bottles left of a label Japo made for the restaurant. Like the greats in any craft, he created his own styl…