Other Spirits

Alipus San Juan del Rio Mezcal

47.5% ABV
$50-$60
Website

What the Producer Says

Alipús Mezcal is a gift born from the soul of our land. It captivates us with its various presentations, each one a unique expression connecting us to the families that create their particular elixir for the delightful enjoyment of the world. Alipús Mezcal is an open invitation to Mexico as your second home.

Founded in 1999, Alipús started out as an alternative project supported by Los Danzantes Distillery. The idea was to create a map of Oaxacan mezcals showing how the conditions where each is produced differentiates the final product, with distinct soils, waters and climates having a singular influence on the land where each mezcal is grown.

Alipús seeks to promote and develop awareness about traditional mezcal producers in Oaxaca – in particular about their knowledge and high-quality products. Current distribution and branding efforts have resulted in superlative reviews and increased economic development for traditional mezcal farmers where before there was very little.

100% maguey Espadín (Agave angustifolia Haw.)
Roasting: Stone-lined pit at ground level.
Milling: Millstone pulled by horse.
Fermentation: 2,500-liter pine vats.
Distillation: Discontinuous double distillation in copper stills.

TECHNICAL DETAILS
Master mezcaleros: Joel, René, Abelio Antonio Juan and Rodolfo Juan Juárez.
Soil: San Juan del Rio, Tlacolula, Oaxaca. Tierras blancas, poor in organic material, with stony, silt texture.
Palenque elevation: 1,125 MASL.
Altitude at which the maguey is planted: 1,250 to 1,700 MASL

TASTING NOTES:
Color: Clear.
Aroma: Caramel, roasted maguey, citrus, spices and herbs.
Palate: Herbal and mineral notes. Light, rugged flavors. Fresh acidity with medium lingering flavor.
Pairing: Enchiladas mineras, scrambled eggs, aged cheese, garnachas istmeñas (meat pies).

What Gary Says

DISCLAIMER: I’m a whisk(e)y enthusiast, and not familiar with Mezcal (so read at your own risk!)
Nose:  Earthy smokiness, edging on peaty, more vegetal with agave and grilled poblano peppers.
Palate:  Thick and viscous mouthfeel, sweet, earthy with a smokey bit of lime, tangerine and orange, pepper, subtle corn.
Finish:  Short in length, really dry with tobacco and roasted lime.
Comments:  My third and last of the three samples from the Flaviar Mezcal tasting box, and the most different of the three. More smoke and earthiness, less corn, more lime. Hard to pick if I liked this more than the Rey Campero Espadin Mezcal; this reminds me more of a peaty Scotch than a corn-distillate white dog. I really liked it. Really thick and viscous, like a nice non-chill filtered single malt. Last reminder –  given my inexperience in this category, I’m not comfortable assigning any different rating for these three. I enjoyed this one the most, but can’t really inform if it was a good, average, great example of the category – so will leave it as Stands Out. If anyone finds I’m short-changing any, that’s the reason why.

Rating: Stands Out

Mezcal Vago Elote

49.7% ABV
$60
Website

What the Distillery Says

Each of our unique mezcals is naturally made in a traditional palenque with no additives. On the front label of each of our bottles, all the information is there about who made it, what pueblo, what agave, details in the process, size of batch and more.

This is connoisseur mezcal. We aim to empower both the master craftsmen with a celebration of his art, and also the consumer by giving them the knowledge they need to find a great mezcal. All of our mezcals are joven (young) and clear, exactly as our mezcaleros have been crafting them for generations.
NOTE: My sample from Flaviar only states the ABV at 49.7%, and not the other details unfortunately.

What Gary Says

DISCLAIMER: I’m a whisk(e)y enthusiast, and not familiar with Mezcal (so read at your own risk!)
Nose:  Roasted corn, vegetal, subtle tropical fruitiness, cut hay, smoke with a touch of menthol.
Palate:  Cast iron corn bread, fresh cracked pepper, subtle fruit, bit of lime.
Finish:  Short to moderate in length, smokey and drying with lime zest.
Comments:  My second of the three samples from the Flaviar Mezcal tasting box, and very similar to the Rey Campero Espadin Mezcal – just a bit more smoke, less fruity, bit more of an edge.  A bit of water didn’t thicken this one up like the Rey Campero either, so while neat they were fairly similar – if I was picking a favorite of the two I would go with that one. Nothing objectionable here – another enjoyable pour. and the fruit leaning towards lime – with a bit of a pepper bite . As a reminder, given my inexperience in this category, I’m not comfortable assigning any different rating for these three. I enjoyed this one, and despite liking the other more, can’t really inform if it was a good, average, great example of the category – so will leave it as Stands Out. If anyone finds I’m short-changing any, that’s the reason why.

Rating: Stands Out

Rey Campero Espadin Mezcal

48.3% ABV
$50
Website

What the Distillery Says

NOTE: Content is in Spanish, below is using Google Translate; apologies for any errors!
The size of the maguey espadín is 1.5 m wide and 1 m high on average. It is the most used in Oaxaca for the production of mezcal. It is the maguey with the greatest geographic presence in Mexico, whose morphological plasticity led to the description of more than 20 species. The maturation time varies between 7 and 10 years.

What Gary Says

DISCLAIMER: I’m a whisk(e)y enthusiast, and not familiar with Mezcal (so read at your own risk!)
Nose:  Roasted corn, vegetal, smokey botanicals and herbs, notes of cut hay, tropical fruitiness, olives, and lemongrass.
Palate:  Roasted corn with dried ‘not ripe yet’ orange, kiwi and mango, bit of green tobacco.
Finish:  Short to moderate in length, drying with smoke and tobacco.
Comments:  This was the first of three samples in a Flaviar Mezcal tasting box (which I sampled/reviewed side by side), and my first studied tasting of Mezcal. As I’m most familiar with whisk(e)y, I naturally find similarities there – with this reminding me a bit of a white dog; young, corny, but smokey and less sweet. I preferred this after a bit of water was added, which thickened the mouthfeel and sweetened it up more. Given my inexperience in this category, I’m not comfortable assigning any different rating for these three. I enjoyed it, but couldn’t assess if it was a good, average, great example of the category – so will leave it as Stands Out. If anyone finds I’m short-changing any, that’s the reason why.

Rating: Stands Out

El Dorado 21 Year Old Special Reserve Finest Demerara Rum

40% ABV
$120
Website

What the Distillery Says

This richly crafted rum has been laid down in oak barrels for at least 21 years then artfully blended for you to savour and enjoy.

Tasting Notes
Nose of mocha, toffee, tobacco, and dark spices. The mouth is velvety smooth with full body of tropical fruits, coffee, leather, and rich toffee. The Finish is nutty and smoky.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Burnt demerara sugar, fruitcake soaked in rum, oak, toasted orange zest, baking spices, brown sugar, raisins and plums.
Palate:  Fruitcake with orange, apricot, coconut, raisins, bits of dark chocolate, medium roast coffee and honey.
Finish:  Moderately long and drying.
Comments:  Hands down my favorite of the three. A nice step up from the 15 yr, although I can’t say I like it 2.5x as much as the 15 yr. Like whisk(e)y, the price starts to get crazy with age for a number of reasons. And like whisk(e)y, I often find that jump in price doesn’t align with my enjoyment. Price aside, this one definitely stood out.

Rating: Stands Out