Mezcal (Destilado de Agave) Side X Side Blind 201/2019 Winter Taste-Off

It seems like forever since a post has been done on this site. Call it a sabbatical of sorts if you will. But have no worries, the imbibing of Agave spirits carries on. Below is a handful of Agave spirits  enjoyed over the past few months that are recommended for you, the consumer, to seek out and try for yourself.

A blind taste testing of Mezcal (Destilado de Agave) samples from five different producers and regions over various days. Again we will not being doing a breakdown of all the minutiae of each individual brand or process. Besides there are helpful tools, websites for such information or perhaps visit the brands' social media and website. The bottles have been opened for a minimum 2 months. Keep in mind that every palate is uniquely different, what we may enjoy you may not. Besides, is taste subjective or objective? Again at certain points we found ourselves reaching for an aroma kit or spices & herbs jars in the kitchen pantry. Riedel tequila glasses, Glencairn whisky glasses, ceramic copitas, and jícaras were used. Before sipping, a dab of each mezcal was placed on the dorsum part of our hands for a quick initial first impression.

Brand (A): Dorsum: cooked lettuce? and mild hint of acetone?. Aroma: Earthy and subtle smoke, slightly herbal, hints of raw honey, leather, black pepper and jalapeno? Flavour: mild baked agave, some creaminess (butter?), slighly mineral, cooked broccoli?, nutty (almond?), dried fruit (apple?) accompanied with waves of subtle smokiness throughout the palate. Semi-oily upon entry, some numbness, herbaceous notes mid-palate, mild alcohol and a lingering spicy sweet? note in the back of the mouth. Finish: long - green vegetal, lingering spiciness and cinnamon?. Symphony of flavours.

Brand (B): Dorsum: herbal (peppermint tea like?), creamy butter?. Aroma: mild roasted agave, earthy (wet rocks?), minty?, green apple, hint of burnt tobacco?. Flavour: fresh cooked agave, buttery, cookies (reminds me of fig newton?), slight brininess, accompanied with subtle notes of alcohol and smokiness throughout the palate. Semi-oily upon entry - sharp numbness in the mouth that mellows out with some peppery - sweetness. Notice a smoky herbal (mint?) note at the back of the mouth and down the throat. Finish: medium - somewhat dry - maintains some earthiness, almost find a smoky menthol component. That fig newton note takes you back.

Brand (C): Dorsum: earthy, beef jerky?, burnt dry maple leaves. Aroma: roasted agave, very earthy, mild spicy ginger thing, nutty, subtle sweetness, briny, smoky pipe tobacco, faint citrus note (lime rind?), and noticeable alcohol. Flavour: fresh cooked agave, mild minerality, there's a spicy nuttiness (cardamom?), faint tobacco, salty-caramelized sugar? Very oily upon entry that nicely coats the mouth accompanied with some mild numbness. A citrus herbal note and mild alcohol lingers in the back. Finish: medium - sort of grabs on for a bit then softens - with faint traces of tobacco and beef jerky? but that cooked agave lingers on through. Love that beef-jerky note.

Brand (D): Dorsum: earthy - smoky (burnt cedar wood?) - fruity (orange). Aroma: roasted agave, earthy, pepper (jalapeño?), melon (cantaloupe?), mild alcohol. Flavour: lots of roasted agave, fresh earthiness, some sweetness (caramel?), subtle pepper, floral (almost like rose hip?). Semi-oily upon entry - flinty - soft numbness on the lips, gums and mouth - accompanied with a warm, aromatic, slightly bitter, and a hint of cayenne pepper? in the back of the mouth and throat. Finish: long - dry, salty, buttered smoky potato chip thing?, hint of alcohol and peat?. A harmony of congenial flavors.

Brand (E): Dorsum: apple cider, clay, and hint of roast Agave?. Aroma: very earthy, mild ripe fruit, slightly herbal (rosemary?), hint of licorice-like note (fennel?). Flavour: baked agave, fruity (melon?), a subtle funkiness and hint of smoke, slight sweetness (raw honey?), accompanied with waves of very mild smokiness throughout the palate. Semi-oily upon entry, herbaceous notes mid-palate, some numbness front and mid palate, mild tartness that fades quickly and a lingering licorice-like? note in the back of the mouth. Finish: long - earthy funkiness, mild alcohol, and menthol?. Very unique.

The particular brands are: Corte Vetusto Agave espadin 45% (A), Huichichiqui Agave angustifolia 47.83% Abv. (B), Ocho Regiones Agave espadin 55% Abv. (C), Que Corra el Agua Agave cuishe 50% Abv. (D),  Cuentacuentos Agave tepeztate Lot CCT27 47% Abv. (E).