4 ms·

Not all Mezcals need to be so smoke-forward. Some of my favorites aren’t Smokey at all. The ones that taste like an ashtray normally are often cheap, and skip

Not all Mezcals need to be so smoke-forward. Some of my favorites aren’t Smokey at all. The ones that taste like an ashtray normally are often cheap, and skip the proper production techniques, instead tossing in artificial smoke flavoring. Mezcal’s don’t have a denomination of origin like Tequila does, so there’s a lot less rules around it’s production and contents, unfortunately, but I think it’s unfair to write off the entire category. I could say the same thing about single malt whiskey, since serval scotches taste like you’re licking a campfire, but there’s obviously more variation there.

anfractuosity 8y ago
Out of interest, could you recommend any mezcal/tequila, I've not had any before, but do enjoy smokey drinks like laphroaig/octomore whiskies along with smoked beers along with non-smokey spirits too!
- thanatos_dem 8y ago
  For sure! Del Maguey Vida is probably the most common mezcal. If you go to a bar and ask for mezcal it’ll likely be that, and it’s actually pretty decent for the price point, especially for cocktails. If I’m going for something smokier and for sipping rather than mixing, I am a big fan of Delirio Anejo. It’s pricier, but still pretty easy to find at larger liquor stores, and has a great flavor profile, using two different agave plants (Espadin, which is pretty common in Mezcal, and Madre-Cuishe, with a more mineral flavor that compliments the smokiness). If you want to get more serious about it, and as I mentioned in another comment, you can check out Vago Mezcal by Aquilino Garcia Lopez. He produces a whole collection of similarly prepared mezcals using different varieties or agave, so you can really compare flavor profiles. Pricier and harder to find, but great for learning about the differences. If you haven’t had any tequilas or mezcals, probably the bare minimum info you need is that there’s three main preparation styles - silver, reposado, and anejo, each being aged more than the previous. Usually this results in different colors - clear for silver, light yellow for reposado, and a whiskey-like darker brown for anejo. Generally aging will make the tequila more smooth and flavorful, so you’ll want to focus on reposados and anejos if you aren’t mixing drinks with it. For mixed drinks usually you want the flavor of the mixers more than the liquor, so that’s when you’d go for the silver. Some of my favorite drinks with mezcal are a Paloma, replacing the tequila with mezcal, and with some hellfire bitters tossed in. It’s sort of like a spicy margarita, but the grapefruit has a bit more sweetness which balances out the smoke and spice. Also, I love a last word, replacing the gin with mezcal. It’s a good bit more bitter, between the chartreuse and the marsaschino, but I’m a fan of bitter drinks.
  - anfractuosity 8y ago
    Thanks a lot for the detailed reply, I'll have a look out for those!
  - jerrysievert 8y ago
    Del Maguey makes a lot more than Vida, and if you get a chance (GP), look for a bar that has a flight of Del Maguey, you'll be surprised at the diversity.
- te_chris 8y ago
  Check out Los Danzantes. That stuff is incredible - and dangerous.
notdang 8y ago
Mezcal has a denomination of origin. Check this link: http://www.crm.org.mx/ http://www.crm.org.mx/ Worse, you have to pay a licensing yearly fee. This hit hard the small indigenous communities.

anfractuosity 8y ago

Out of interest, could you recommend any mezcal/tequila, I've not had any before, but do enjoy smokey drinks like laphroaig/octomore whiskies along with smoked beers along with non-smokey spirits too!

thanatos_dem 8y ago
For sure! Del Maguey Vida is probably the most common mezcal. If you go to a bar and ask for mezcal it’ll likely be that, and it’s actually pretty decent for the price point, especially for cocktails. If I’m going for something smokier and for sipping rather than mixing, I am a big fan of Delirio Anejo. It’s pricier, but still pretty easy to find at larger liquor stores, and has a great flavor profile, using two different agave plants (Espadin, which is pretty common in Mezcal, and Madre-Cuishe, with a more mineral flavor that compliments the smokiness). If you want to get more serious about it, and as I mentioned in another comment, you can check out Vago Mezcal by Aquilino Garcia Lopez. He produces a whole collection of similarly prepared mezcals using different varieties or agave, so you can really compare flavor profiles. Pricier and harder to find, but great for learning about the differences. If you haven’t had any tequilas or mezcals, probably the bare minimum info you need is that there’s three main preparation styles - silver, reposado, and anejo, each being aged more than the previous. Usually this results in different colors - clear for silver, light yellow for reposado, and a whiskey-like darker brown for anejo. Generally aging will make the tequila more smooth and flavorful, so you’ll want to focus on reposados and anejos if you aren’t mixing drinks with it. For mixed drinks usually you want the flavor of the mixers more than the liquor, so that’s when you’d go for the silver. Some of my favorite drinks with mezcal are a Paloma, replacing the tequila with mezcal, and with some hellfire bitters tossed in. It’s sort of like a spicy margarita, but the grapefruit has a bit more sweetness which balances out the smoke and spice. Also, I love a last word, replacing the gin with mezcal. It’s a good bit more bitter, between the chartreuse and the marsaschino, but I’m a fan of bitter drinks.
- anfractuosity 8y ago
  Thanks a lot for the detailed reply, I'll have a look out for those!
- jerrysievert 8y ago
  Del Maguey makes a lot more than Vida, and if you get a chance (GP), look for a bar that has a flight of Del Maguey, you'll be surprised at the diversity.
te_chris 8y ago
Check out Los Danzantes. That stuff is incredible - and dangerous.

notdang 8y ago

Mezcal has a denomination of origin. Check this link: http://www.crm.org.mx/ http://www.crm.org.mx/ Worse, you have to pay a licensing yearly fee. This hit hard the small indigenous communities.