Monte Alban Mezcal, 70cl

Product Information

I’d love to talk about and appreciate mezcal without having to mention Tequila but alas, that’s just the way it is. If you’ve read my Tequila 101 guide: Everything you need to know about Tequila’ which is structured the same as this guide just about tequila, you will now be fully understanding of both spirits. BOWEN, Sarah (2015), Divided Spirits: Tequila, Mezcal and The politics of production, University of California Press, California, USA. BARREL AGED - Rooster Rojo Reposado's gold colour comes from being aged for 2 months or more in French oak barrels before being bottled. This provides the spirits with a smoother taste while the wood adds hints of orange rind, enriching the flavour Taste wise it’s got all the smoke you want from Mezcal with added grassy notes thanks to the espadin agave.

I like to think of myself as the unpaid and unofficial global ambassador for all things tequila and agave even though I’m British through and through. In the same way, Tom Bullok explains in his book “The Mezcal experience” that Monte Alban Mezcal followed Gusano Rojo with its worm practice and maintained a prolonged advertising campaign in Playboy issues during the 1970s. It cemented the idea in the male western mind that Mezcal with a worm was in fact, the real Mezcal. The reason people go wrong with this is by mixing tequila with sugary drinks or drinking mixto tequila which is not 100% agave. Basically if you only have enough agave to create 100 bottles of tequila, why not half that and top it up with cheap sugar to double your yield.Well today we’re going to put an end to that with this complete guide on everything you need to know about Mezcal. From what it is to how it’s made and all the resources you could ever imagine to explore this wonderful and somewhat mysterious Mexican spirit. What is Mezcal My point is, ABV ( alcohol by volume) has to be taken to determine how strong a spirit is. Usually, a very techy part of spirit production. But mezcal is not techy, so how do they do it? Very interestingly is the answer…

REAL AGAVE TEQUILA - Originating from the protected tequila-producing region in Mexico, Rooster Rojo Tequila is crafted from 100% Blue Weber agave sourced from local farmers of Jalisco Los Altos region and cooked for 10 hours, making it authentic and deliciousAlthough on the surface they seem very similar, they are quite different. For one Mezcal can be made with a variety of 25 different agave species, while Tequila has to be made with a certain species of agave. Which technically means - All Tequila is Mezcal but not all Mezcal is Tequila. Just like how all Jacuzzis are hot tubs but not all hot tubs are Jacazzis… Turns out, you’ve been misled. Yes, tequila worms are real. And yes, you can still find them in bottles. There are a couple of things you need to know, though. There are always exceptions to the rule and few brands produce with quality, add worms with the singular reason of enhancing their Mezcales with an earthy and fungal vibe. Our personal recommendations are El Cortijo reposado con gusano and Wahaka reposado con gusano. They are aged in oak barrels and the worm intensifies their aromatic profile. That oak profile makes those Mezcales specifically suited for the worm. You should definitely give them an opportunity and if you have tasted other really good Mezcales with worms, let us know.

The myth, the legend, the confusion of that floating worm inside our tequila bottles. Some of us have never even seen one other than in movies. Is it even a real thing? Does it still exist? I’m here to tell you that yes it does exist, and yes it is still a thing. Mezcal is a spirit we’re seeing more and more of in todays western world. But a lot about Mezcal still seems to be somewhat of a mystery. Questions like, is Mezcal Tequila? where does Mezcal come from and what makes Mezcal Mezcal? are constantly being asked. You may be more familiar with its counterpart Tequila. Which is where the confusion usually comes in around the subject. Is Mezcal and Tequila the same thing? No, no its not.Mezcal is still today very traditional. There is nothing techy about it, I mean come on, they crush the agave using a horse. It doesn’t get less techy then that! In Mezcal production, ABV is determined by pouring a stream of the mezcal into a small vessel to induce surface bubbles. These bubbles, known as pearls by the Mezcal producers, will remain stable for tenths of seconds only if the alcohol content is close to 50% Mezcal is traditionally from Oaxaca, Guerrero, and Michoacan. Tequila comes from the Jalisco region. But since mezcal worms have only appeared in commercially sold bottles since the 1940s and 50s, as mentioned earlier, the second argument isn’t entirely convincing.