Del Maguey Crema de Mezcal

I'm not crazy about this mezcal and here is why. Its incredibly sweet. Think nearly liqueur with the same sort of semi-syrupy consistency. The professional reviewer on this page writes "the sweetness is subtle" and then in the next sentence "It would be a great product to use in a margarita as there would be no need to add any sweetener." Any bartender worth their salt knows there is a ton of sugar that goes into a margarita to counteract the tartness of the lime. So only one of those statements can be true. Personally, I didn't find the flavors of this mezcal to pair especially well with fresh lime juice anyway. If you are looking for something to drink chilled or on neat spend another $5-10. There are a plethora of good options in the $40-50 range. Alipus makes a couple nice entry level options (Blue and Pink bottles) and if you're lucky you can find a bottle of Tosba Espadin (the best thing I've tried for under $50). However, If you enjoy sipping liqueuers as opposed to spirits then ignore my review. This Del Maguey Crema might be your thing.

Very smoky with citrus and herbaceous notes and is lightly sweetened by the agave syrup. The “smoke” is much more dark,resinous and pronounced in the Crema than in the Del Maguey Vida. I’ll sip this in a 5 oz. small, shallow prep dish with a large chunk of ice or make margaritas. Both the Crema and Vida make great cocktails. After several back-to-back comparisons, the Crema just makes a much more robust and flavorful margaritas plus, you don’t have to add any sweetener either. My recipe: 2 oz Crema de Mezcal, 1/4 oz Cointreau, 3/4-1 oz Lime juice. Skip the salt rim. Shake with ice, strain and be blown away by this smooth, flavor bomb.

An espadin that has been sweetened, Del Maguey Crema is a solid choice for cocktails, allowing you to get some of the mezcal smoke and sweetness of the agave syrup without having to add simple syrup or sugar. The nose features smoke and citrus in equal measures. The palate is quite sweet and rich, but there is some clay with a bit of heat. The finish brings on the sweetness and a bit of earthiness. This won't blow you away, but for those that are intimidated by mezcal or think it's too smokey or has too much heat, this is a good starting point (although I think Del Maguey Chichicapa is an even better starting point).

Sweet and fruity nose of mint, agave nectar, spruce, green herbs and earth. Thick and sweet on account of the agave syrup, the sugar and sugary agave masking most of what additional flavors there might otherwise be. I do get some raisin and a hint of black pepper, but that’s about it. Too sweet for a sipper, but this should make a fine cocktail.

This mezcal is awesome if you let it air out for a couple of days. The aeration takes some of the tartness away, which makes it more edible. Very nice and smooth flowing through your palette.

Definitely tasting a bit of that agave syrup up front giving way to some heat and roasty Mezcal smokiness. Not as complex as the chichicapa but still makes a good poloma.