Sombra Mezcal

Limited experience with mezcal here, so take these notes with a grain of salt (and lime?). Sombra is an interesting spirit that, for me, just doesn't quite "click". Heavy on the smoke, but it's not a straight sort of smoke--it's partly mesquite, partly burnt rubber, some fuzzy Sharpie marker, some shoe-glue. If you can dig underneath, there are some added dimensions here: a fresh herbaciousness (mint, cilantro, basil) and some tropical fruits (pineapple leads, but there's some mango, some papaya?). Taste is sweet and hot, more mesquite and the smoke of burnt everything. Some citrus, something almost leathery. Pepper. Lime and prickly pear cactus on the finish, along with more smoke and a bit of raw woodiness. The heat persists here, from start to finish. Interesting, but it's a bit hot for sipping and so strong as to overwhelm other flavours in a cocktail. It's one of the less expensive mezcals (at least locally), so worth a shot, I think, even if only to see how you might feel about the range of flavours that constitute mezcal.

As this is the first mezcal I’ve tried, I don’t have any experience to draw on for tasting notes. Well, that’s not entirely correct, I have tasted several tequilas, and I am well experienced in peaty scotch, so those are the connections I can make. The nose comes on like barbecue sauce, smokey, sweet, tangy, spicy. There is agave present, bright like a blanco tequila. I pick up some citrus zest, and pepper corn, mint, and sage. The smoke has a slight mesquite hint. First taste, the bright clean agave sweetness hits the tongue. There’s vanilla, and light agave syrup. Then the smoke arrives, for scotch enthusiasts, this is much more like Laphroaig than say Ardbeg or Talisker, the smoke is like a newly started fire, when the moisture is being burnt off, this isn’t toasted wood. The flavors don’t stop with smoke, there is more citrus, and a fresh green vegetable, like fresh sweet peas or green beans (I know that’s in the “expert review” too, but that doesn’t make it wrong). The mesquite and mint linger for a very long time.

Flavor on this was muted. Paid about $36 for 750mL. I don't think it's worth delving into the particular flavor profile of this mezcal, as there is not much of any of it in there. There's nothing offensive about it, and it is just fine drinking it, but the first thing you notice isn't the bouquet, but just the syrupy texture. Not that this is a bad texture per se, but you normally expect a taste paired with it - instead, you're presented with just the texture itself. At this price range ($35-$40), I get a lot more satisfaction out of American ryes or bourbons. I've had much better luck spending just a bit more with mezcal, around $45. I also have to add that the reason I tried this was because of the site's "Distiller Score of 90". I now know not to take that score too seriously, as there is not a chance in hell this rates that highly. Again, nothing wrong with it, but absolutely nothing special.

I consider Sombra one of the better mixing mezcals out there and even neat it's not that bad. I think it's considerably better than Ilegal joven and in line with El Buho and Del Maguey Vida (but probably slightly better than Vida too). The nose is fruity, with pineapple leading the way. The palate has some heat, along with pepper, apples, smoke and a touch of sweetness. The finish is relatively long, especially in comparison to Ilegal joven, with a touch of burn. I tried this in a clay copita and glass and neither really differentiated itself. Considering the cost, which is the same as the Ilegal joven, I would buy this every time. It doesn't have the complexity or uniqueness of many of the more expensive artisanal mezcals out there, but it gets the job done and works great in cocktails.

Id assume this tastes the way nail polish remover does because it definitely smells of it. The finish would survive a nuclear winter just to ruin the existence of whatever life forms remain. This is tequila is an act of terrorism even ISIS would feel too bad to release this. The flavor never leaves its like hepatitis but much more dangerous because at least hepitis can be treated. I let the bartender have a taste of this and she resigned from her position immediately and started trying to find how to live off the grid so she couldnt spread this disease to others. Buying the bottle from my local bar should place me in the running to be the first person to get three congressional medals of honor.

Honey, fresh cane, and cooked carrots on the nose. A barely perceptible flash of ethanol at the tail end of a deep nosing, but very clean and refreshing. Notably little, if any, smoke. Demerara syrup starts the palate, then freshly cracked black pepper, green chili capsaicin, lemon, and a few brassy notes. A balance of iodine and char lingering for an everlasting finish. The minerality invites another sip. Quite enjoyable. More on the citrus fruit end of the mezcal spectrum than campfire, but a pleasure to sip and great price point for mixing. Recommended.