After resting in oak barrels for 16 months, the newest version of Sonora Gold, a high-proof spirit distilled from prickly pear cactus fruit, was just released by Tucson’s Three Wells Distilling Company.

This is the second release of the company’s Sonora Gold. The inaugural release at cask-strength, a 112-proof spirit that hit the shelves in 2016 and sold out shortly thereafter, was made from cactus fruit harvested in the summer of 2015. The newest release used fruit from the hot and wet summer of 2016, which the company says made a distinct difference.

“We were blessed by above average precipitation during the summer monsoons of 2016, and when you combine that with the Sonoran Desert’s hot days and cool nights, the prickly pear cactus yields the kind of fruit that can make a spirit really shine,” said Matt Montgomery, co-founder and distiller at Three Wells Distilling Company. “It was a bumper cactus crop for us and we’re beyond thrilled with the result.”

This year’s version also brought a bit more booze to the bottle, hitting just over 118 proof, which solidifies the company’s commitment to the cask-strength category.

“Producing a memorable spirit in higher-proof zones isn’t easy,” said Montgomery. “Finding the right balance of elements to produce the simultaneously strong and subtle flavors that we’re after with this whiskey-esque product is critical, and we just love the way that this desert fruit expresses itself at this proof level.”

Tafao Faumuina, Three Wells’ brand ambassador, enjoys the Gold’s “nice oak at the front, followed by smooth butteriness and tobacco on the mid-palate, finishing with notes of dark cherry and a good amount of warmth.”

Three Wells offers a growing line of craft spirits, including the Sonora Silver, Copper, and Gold, all distilled from local prickly pear cactus fruit, the Agave Silver and Reposado, distilled in the Tequila tradition, the Mt. Lemmon Gin, crafted with alligator juniper, local botanicals, and citrus, the Three Wells Vodka, and the Old Tom Gin, an 18th century favourite of the English.