Operator Oscar Amir Pech Chi, 19, unloads Nal T’eel corn from the silo, destined for use in GRAN MAIZAL Whisky at La Vibora distillery in Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico on Wednesday, December 06, 2023. The silos at GRAN MAIZAL store three varieties of corn (left to right) Nal T’eel, Ts’íit Bakal, and Xnuk Nal. GRAN MAIZAL is a Mexican whisky made with ancient varieties of corn from the Yucatán Peninsula, including the oldest recognized lineage in the scientific community: Nal T’eel, and rested with vanilla pods and cacao nibs. It was founded by Cesar Ayala and Gonzalo de la Pezuela in 2020. Photograph by Bénédicte Desrus