While folks are finally starting to recognize tequila as a premium spirit with a complex and diverse collection of properties, there's another Mexican spirit following quickly on its heels. A few years ago mezcal was simply tequila's rougher tougher, renegade brother but as someone who loves agave spirits, it is wonderful to see new products reaching the market that focuses on the positive aspects of Mexican culture and heritage instead of merely throwing a revolver, donkey, or a sombrero on the bottle and shipping it out to bars. One of the products that recently impressed me in this new wave of premium mezcal was Vamonos Riendo Mezcal.

We were recently sent a sample bottle of Dos Hombres new Espadin Mezcal. Mezcal is a less abrasive form of tequila for those not in the know. For people like myself, who aren’t straight tequila fans, it’s a more palatable option with less sugar in the taste and more smoothness to the pull. 

That's right .. I'm not sure what more needs to be said except that the mezcal has a unique essence that is more than just a gimmick, as I thought initially. Pechuga de Conejo by Bosscal Mezcals is a pretty interesting expression that does precisely what a great spirit should do - evokes a conversation.

Mezcal cocktails are great all year long but due to the spirit's origin in the hot Mexican sun, it probably serves best on warm summer days. As we emerge from a cold and wet spring, it's time to start preparing for those summer cocktails!

Mezcal has always been a sort of "outlaw" spirit in terms of how most Americans perceive it. Frankly, I think that lends itself well to those folks who may have been attracted to whiskey for the same reason. To many distillers today though try to pretend that mezcal needs to be chic and luxurious and that often causes the mystique to be lost. On the other hand, there's Ilegal Mezcal, where you have a beautiful bottle and a fabulously unique back story, but it is still firmly planted in the authentic Oaxacan roots that make mezcal special.

Mezcal Amarás is a perfect example of why I'm absolutely enthralled by this spirit! Alcohol has had a unique place in the history of man and the act of fermentation is probably as old as the act of grilling meat. Throughout it's history, our ancestors celebrated this magic liquid's ability to both open up a portal to experience a different plane of existence for religious and mystic purposes as well to frankly... just feel good. While most spirits today are simply commercial and indeed industrial operations designed purely for commercial profit - there still exists a cadre of mezcaleros who keep their ancient traditions alive so that we can experience them ourselves.

If you're a tequila enthusiast looking to broaden your horizons, sotol should be on your radar. As you know, I'm absolutely enamored by Mexican food and drink. While I've had Sotol, in the past - I didn't get a chance to truly explore it until Sotol Hacienda de Chihuahua sent me a few bottles to try. Now I'm hooked. This lesser-known Mexican spirit offers a unique flavor profile that is distinctly different from tequila, yet is equally captivating. Derived from the Dasylirion Wheeleri plant, sotol boasts a complex blend of herbaceous, fruity, and resinous notes that will intrigue your palate when paired with fresh Mexican seafood and grilled meats. But there's more to this spirit than just its taste. From its rich history and production methods to its regional variations, sotol has a story to tell. Are you ready to explore what makes this spirit a worthy addition to your collection?

When I was a young man and just starting to enter the world of spirits, the only game in town was Cuervo Gold and tequila was something forbidden, cheap, and dangerous. Today... thankfully... we have access to a wide selection of fine mezcals and the American thirst for agave has risen to the point where it's not enough to simply drink tequila. Just like how whiskey has Scotch, Bourbon, Rye etc., agave spirits come in many different expressions too. One of the most exciting is raicilla but most people don't fully understand how it differs from tequila, bacanora, mezcal.

In a world of TikTok trends and over-the-top cocktail creations, sometimes all we need is a drink that’s simple, satisfying, and easy to make. Fall weekends are for unwinding, not for playing mixologist with a cart full of ingredients you’ve never heard of. That’s where mezcal comes in. Smoky, complex, and incredibly versatile, mezcal makes it possible to create delicious cocktails with minimal fuss—perfect for when you just want to kick back and relax. So, let’s raise a glass to mezcal and explore why it’s the ultimate mixer for this season.

Above a certain level, premium spirits are about the feeling it provides the imbiber as much as it is the actual quality of the liquid. We're very fortunate right now to live in a time with plenty of options when it comes to high-quality agave spirits and it is always a pleasure to have the opportunity to try something new. I guess what impresses me the most is that while many of these distillers are "new" to the American market, the reality is that folks like Maestro Mezcalero Juan Antonio Coronel from Tres Tribus is actually part a legacy going back hundreds of years. 

I absolutely love this newly emerging popularity of Mexican spirits. With it's rich stories of family heritage and political intrigue that matches or even exceeds anything found in the back woods of Kentucky and Tennessee's whiskey distillers. Part of this is that it offers something new and exotic yet also being so close, in this case, coming to us from Chihaua... right across the US border from west Texas and New Mexico. In the case of Acrónimo Sotol, too, draws on more than a century of heritage but steps into the future with a young, passionate founder who is looking to extend her family's legacy and make an impact in the modern spirits industry.

This is a fantastic time to be a fan of Mexican spirits! Just a few years ago, it seemed like people thought you were a wild man if you told them you enjoyed tequila... but now Mexican spirits are everywhere - mezcal, gin, sotol, raicilla, and bacanora too. In the pantheon of agave spirits, this one gets somewhat lost, but let's make this more than our little secret. While fundamentally bacanora is a mezcal, it falls outside of the geographic region aka Denomination of Origin to be legally referred to as mezcal. Regardless of politics, we're thrilled to share some info about this hidden gem that all agave fans need to check out!