Today is National Mezcal Day, so there is no better time to remind everyone that Mezcal is not just a smokey version of Tequila. Sure, Mezcal like Tequila is an Agave spirit, but it’s worth remembering that technically Tequila is actually a variant of Mezcal.
Mezcal is made from an array of different agaves in 13 different Mexican states. There are many factors that go into a mezcal’s flavour profile, such as terroir, agave species, and how the mezcalero chooses to cook, ferment, and distil the plants.
There’s an old expression that says ‘You don’t find Mezcal, Mezcal finds you’ but if the spirit’s GPS is a little off, we’ve assembled a list of seven Mezcals that are well worth finding.
Del Maguey Mezcal Vida
A favourite on back bars, Vida one of the most commonly used mezcals for cocktails, as it is highly mixable, and has gained much-anticipated industry acceptance and high bartender demand. Handcrafted, it is twice distilled, very slowly in small wood-fired, copper stills to flavour specifications that underscore its versatility in cocktails.
For ore information, go to delmaguey.com
Montelobos Mezcal Joven
Montelobos Joven Mezcal is made with espadin agave and carefully crafted by Iván Saldaña. This offers up a well-balanced blend of roasted agave notes, herbaceous elements and a classic whiff of smoke. It also offers a really stylish bottle with a rather cool-looking wolf on the label.
For more information, go to montelobos.com
Ilegal Mezcal Reposado
It has caramelized pear and bitter orange on the nose, and clove, toffee and hints of vanilla on the palate. The mouthfeel is velvety throughout. Like its Ilegal Anejo cousin, this is a great Mezcal to serve to friends who don’t like Mezcal as the barrel ageing provides a woody flavour that is familiar to whiskey and tequila drinkers alike.
For more information, go to ilegalmezcal.com
Pensador Ensamble Mezcal
Don Atenogenes and his family create Pensador Mezcal in his fields near Miahuatlan, Oaxaca, using traditional methods which remain largely unchanged since the 16th Century. This mezcal is full of minerality on the nose and palate. There are flavors of green apple, ripe banana, and green pepper, along with vanilla and toffee. The finish is smoky, with tobacco-like notes.
For more information, go to pensadormezcal.com
Mezcal Nuestra Soledad Santiago Matatlán
Santiago Matatlan is in the district of Tlacolula, located in the east of the Valles Centrale region. The town is widely known as the epicenter for mezcal production. Mezcal Nuestra Soledad (paying tribute to Our Lady the Virgin of Solitude, the patron saint of the city of Oaxaca) is hand-crafted using ancient traditions.
For more information, go to backbarproject.com
Real Minero Largo
Real Minero Largo is made with maguey Largo, which is a member of the agave Karwinskii family. The Real Minero Largo can be peppery with notes of peanuts and coconut. It’s known by many as one of the finer mezcals on the market and it is reportedly the favorite of Graciela, who runs Real Minero operations.
For more information, go to realminero.com.mx
Doña Vega Mezcal Tobalá
Doña Vega is made by a family-run organic producer now in its 5th generation. Female-made, Doña Vega roasts its piñas for four days in stone-lined pits, and stores its mezcal in oak barrels, while the Tobalá itself is responsibly hand-harvested. Doña Vega Tobala has notes of vanilla, coco, nougat and toasted oak.
For more information, go to mezcaldonavega.com
