Tasted neat from a small snifter. This mezcal offers up intensely vegetal, leafy aromas with a sweet foundation of agave. The ethanol is not nearly so forward as with the other mezcals I've sampled. On the taste buds this is clean and smokey, slightly sweet, with notes of coriander and celery salt. I think this would be an outstanding base for a very rich and complex cocktail. And it's quite nice on its own as well. The finish is a fast fading combination of sweet syrup and black pepper that leaves a thin mouth coating that's sweet. Surprising for a 100 proof drink, this does not taste quite that potent. It has a very clean exit with just a bit of smokiness and some minerality on an exhale. I have limited experience with mezcal and this should be taken into account with my rating. This is a very fascinating liquor, and this expression is both complex and tasty.
About this bottle
Espadin, an ancestor of the Blue Weber agave used to make tequila, is known for its high sugar content and the transparency with which it transmits characteristics of a distiller's individual style. In the case of fifth-generation mezcalero Aquilino García López, this means a very narrow "cut" (the part of the distillate that is kept rather than discarded or re-distilled) resulting in a bright, clear flavor profile.
How it tastes
Measured across 14 flavor axes. Tap a note to find other bottles that lead with it.
Reviews
Showing the most detailed of 20 parsed reviews.
First mezcal I’ve ever tried (not counting tequila if you want to get technical), and honestly this is unlike any other spirit I’ve ever had. Mine is from a May 2017 batch by Joel Barriga. 50.7% ABV. I’ll admit I don’t entirely like the smell, I find it reminiscent of tire rubber, but sharper. Not necessarily bad but far from appetizing. Everything from there is amazing though. Smoke is apparent from the outset. Equally present is a sweetly vegetal taste with notes of rubber band (there’s a note I never thought I’d find in a drink). The smoke stays through the finish, with the vegetal and rubber notes switching places before fading away, the smoke and rubber battling for the upper hand as they linger. I was expecting something similar to tequila, as they’re both agave spirits. This is a whole nother animal, and a beautiful one at that.
Joel Barriga, Oct 2018, 49.4%abv The nose keeps switching back and forth between butterscotch and cheesy jalapenos (jalapeno poppers). The taste is very green...jalapeno peppers, roasted agave, slight wintergreen mint, backed with some caramel sweetness. The finish very vegetal but dipped in raw honey and sprinkled with black pepper. A bit hot like most Vagos but I expect it to round out a bit as the bottle volume continues to go down. Great espadin as to be expected from a Vago.
Floral cactus, inhaling a fistful of needles, an oasis of crime. Flavor of a sweaty uninhabitable tropical dehydrated mung fruit, earthy, effervescent, pungent... like the scent of a room after a marathon fuck session, you can taste the damage in the air. Cunning, seductive, raunchy, with a hint of latex... this is small village gonzo porn in a bottle.
Slight gasoline nose on this, though surprisingly smooth as it slides down. Notes of banana and berries. Nice spicy aftertaste and burn, with a hint of lingering vanilla. Not a wild mezcal, but a nice all-rounder
Mezcal Vago (Espadin de Emigdio) Nose - fruity Palate - fruity, banana, light spice Finish - slight spice but pretty easy, medium Overall - an interesting fruity taste to start but otherwise nothing special
14 more reviews were collected for this bottle. The longest ones are shown first.
Tastes like this
Closest flavor profiles across the whole catalog.
