Mezcal – the artisanal spirit from Mexico that’s attracting attention right now.
Already a convert – mainly due to the smokey element – I eagerly signed up for the Celtic Whiskey Bar & Larder Zoom Tasting with Del Maguey Mezcal.
The 1st offering – Vida Mezcal, 42% – immediately satisfied. A seductive smokiness combined with those rich earthy agave notes reeled me in!
Gorgeous!
Chichicapa Mezcal, 46%, dialed down the smoke a touch & ramped up the pungent agave along with a prickly dryness on the finish from the higher ABV.
Unlike the whiskey world – which for some is all about the wood to bring about complexity & flavour – Mezcal is all about the raw ingredients & production methods used to deliver a fully flavoured spirit with depth & complexity straight from the still.
Tobala Mezcal, 45%, shone in this department. Using a roast time of 30 days accentuated the rich smokiness. A long fermentation of up to a week brought out some cheesy funky notes & using the A. potatorum agave species added pungent earthy overtones.
Certainly the Mezcal that enamoured me the most!
Pichuga Mezcal, 49%, rounded the evening off.
Compared to the others there was less smoke evident – but those engaging earthy agave aromas entertained me no end.
The Del Maguey website is packed full of information on these single village mezcals.
If you haven’t ventured into Mezcal yet – you won’t go far wrong enjoying any of the above.
A quintessential Mezcal quartet!
Sláinte
Bottle images courtesy Celtic Whiskey Shop
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