Mezcal vs Tequila. You may have heard “all tequila is mezcal, but not all mezcal is tequila.” It’s one of those things that seems to be a popular “interesting fact” to regurgitate, but is actually kinda misleading… I mean, the two are distinct spirit categories (albeit both agave-based), and they’re…
Mezcal Alipús San Andrés Ensamble. Are you familiar with “ensamble” mezcal? This ensamble has been one of my favorite mezcals; the flavors are so deliciously balanced between fruity, smoky, and herbaceous. Ensamble (also sometimes called “del campo” or “mezcla”) mezcals are made with a combination of different agave subspecies instead…
Tres Agaves Blanco Tequila. My agave journey continues with this bottle of Tres Agaves, a spirit made right in Amatitán, Jalisco, the historical birthplace of Tequila. Tres Agaves prides themselves on their heritage and is very transparent about their production process, a well appreciated move in this industry (just a…
Mezcal Derrumbes – San Luis Potosí. This is a super interesting and unique mezcal. Although mezcal is generally noted for its smoky flavor (frequently dubbed as a “smoky version of tequila”), smokiness is not a requirement for the spirit, and this mezcal is actually completely UN-smoked. This mezcal is totally…
Gran Mitla sal de gusano…aka worm salt. 😮 Disclaimer: I never thought I’d brave up to buy a jar of worm salt, but once I tried it at a mezcal tasting, I was hooked and all doubts went out the window. So if I can do it…you can too. Sal…
Del Maguey Wild Papalome Mezcal. This bottle is from the Del Maguey “Vino de Mezcal” line, which include the smaller scale, more limited productions they bottle compared to their regular “Single Village” line (note: not necessarily “better,” just differently sourced and allocated). This bottle was a game changing mezcal for…
Mezcal Vago Elote. If you’re familiar with Mexican street food, you probably know that elote means corn (drool worthy Mexican street corn, omg). So, this here is a mezcal with the flavors of sweet toasted corn. Adding unique subtle flavors into mezcal during distillation is a practice traditionally reserved for…
Fidencio Clasico. I adore this mezcal so much. I got this bottle to replace my beloved Del Maguey Vida (which was my first mezcal), and it’s slowly stolen my heart as my go-to “cocktail mezcal.” Don’t get me wrong, Vida is great for cocktails as well, but Fidencio Clasico just…
I’m fascinated by spirits and cocktails with a story to tell. Though I’ve heard of mezcal described as “rustic and traditional,” until recently I never really understood what that meant. Mezcal is a spirit born from the rural villages in Mexico. It’s a deeply rooted part of local culture there,…
Rancho Tepua Bacanora. Ok, tequila is by far the best known spirit made from the agave plant, mezcal has seriously been having a moment in recent years, and maybe you’ve even heard of sotol or racilla as other agave spirits. But how about Bacanora? Bacanora is the (literally) long-lost…
Cimarron Reposado Tequila. Tequila is a spirit that can be quite expensive, but there’s no need to fork out $$$$ for over-marketed Patron in search of good tequila, there are definitely quality brands out there making the good stuff at a great price. I was super happy to have discovered this great…
Siembra Azul Blanco tequila. Happy Cinco De Mayo and #DrinkoDeMayo! While you’re enjoying your margaritas and tequila shots, here’s some info to hopefully help you find better and tastier tequila to drink. First, some basics: tequila is the spirit that is distilled from cooked agave plants. Agave nectar is about…
Del Maguey Vida. Mezcal is tequila’s less well-known, but cooler, more hipster sibling (well technically, mezcal is the term for any agave-based spirit, *including* tequila, but let’s just focus on the more common interpretation of mezcal as a type of smoky agave spirit). Mezcal is also the Mexican liquor that…