Mezcal 2017
 

Mezcal 2017

 

The Fifty Best Mezcal Tasting of 2017

 

The Tasting:
The Fifty Best held a “blind” tasting of 6 mezcals with 17 members of our spirits judging panel. Strict tasting rules were applied. The order of service was established beforehand by lottery. Each of the mezcals were poured into fresh glasses from new sealed bottles, and served at slightly above room temperature. Only ice water, neutral unflavored crackers and chips were available to cleanse the palate.

The judges wrote down their impressions of each product on score sheets. The scoring was done on a 5-point system, with 5 as the best. Double-Gold and Gold medals are awarded according to a set range of final point scores received from the judges. Due to the high scores overall, there were no silver or bronze medals awarded for this tasting.

The tasting notes which follow are summaries of the judging panels’ opinions, with all replicated commentary eliminated. The agave species and municipalities of origin are identified for each mezcal.



DOUBLE-GOLD MEDAL WINNERS

IBÁ 55 Mezcal
Agave Species: Espadín   (San Pablo Huixtepec)

Nose: Honey, vanilla, sugar, simple syrup, sweet agave, green apples, lemon, dried fruit, mint, hot peppers, green pepper, fennel, aged cigars, mesquite, peat, iodine, sea salt, earthy, smoke, aromatic.
Palate: Caramel, honey, apple, agave, bell pepper, floral, red rose, herbs, mint, peppermint, spice, cinnamon, anise, allspice, pepper, earthy, peat, BBQ, smoky, wood, cedar, high pitched, beautiful.
Finish: Cocoa, chocolate, custard, honey, tart cherry, lemon, agave, mouth-coating, nice, smooth.

Double Gold Medal
Double Gold medal



IBÁ 55 Mezcal



Tres Papalote Joven Mezcal
Agave Species: Wild Cupreata   (Guerrero)

Nose: Vanilla, café au lait, whipped cream, cotton candy, caramel, nougat, sweet pastry, fig, pear, green apple, lemon, floral, mint, green grass, briny.
Palate: Sweet cream, creamy, vanilla, cream soda, honeyed herb, tropical flower, sweet corn, plantain, light toast, herbal, grass, jalapeño, smoky agave, toasted oak, balanced.
Finish: Pear, honey, hints of chocolate, herbs, mint, peppery, spice, silky, clean, exceptionally smooth.

Double Gold Medal
Double Gold medal



Tres Papalote Joven Mezcal



GOLD MEDAL WINNERS

Alacrán Mezcal
Agave Species: Espadin   (Oaxaca)

Nose: Toffee, nougat, buttery, fresh-baked cookies, agave, roasted pepper, vegetal, apple, green apple, floral, eucalyptus, grass, sandalwood, herbs, mint, tobacco, salty, brine, woody, molcajete, mineral oil, smoky.
Palate: Cream soda, honey, apple juice, dates, creamy, oatmeal, fine-bodied agave, grassy, herbs, green pepper, black onion seeds, anise, cinnamon, spicy, black pepper, cracked peppercorn, tobacco, mineral, earth, smoky, smooth, great winter drink.
Finish: Honey, chocolate powder, agave, white flowers, mint, almond, spice, peppery, cherry pits, tobacco, smoke, peaty, earthy, wet rock, crisp, smooth, soft, complex.

Gold Medal
Gold medal



Alacrán Mezcal



IBÁ 40 Organic Mezcal
Agave Species: Espadín   (Oaxaca)

Nose: Caramel, honey, creamy, vanilla, poached apple, pear, lemon, papaya, pineapple, cooked agave, grassy, anise, herb, tobacco, smoked Islay scotch, brine, medicinal, smoky, oak, smooth.
Palate: Cream soda, praline, honey, melon, lime, grilled pineapple, herbs, mint, peppermint, spice, nutmeg, peppercorn, bacon, tobacco, briny, wet stones, briny, peaty, smoke, pine, smooth.
Finish: Anise, clove, Connecticut cigar, white pepper, salty, briny, earthy, cherry smoke, smoke, wood, full-flavored, nice, smooth.

Gold Medal
Gold medal



IBÁ 40 Organic Mezcal



Los Nahuales Joven Mezcal
Agave Species: Espadín   (Oaxaca)

Nose: Nougat, vanilla, honey, apple, pear, pear juice, citrus, lime, pineapple, agave, sandalwood, juniper, mint, herbal, wet stones, clay, hickory, smoke.
Palate: Praline, vanilla, honey, pineapple, agave, lime, roasted pepper, bell pepper, fennel, anise, herb, mint, grass, moss, sandalwood, tarragon, cumin, pepper, sea salt, peat, campfire, charcoal, briny, wood, smoke, fresh.
Finish: Pineapple, dried ginger, corn, grain, mint, herb, cinnamon, peppery, tobacco, mineral, wet stone, smoky, smooth, well-balanced.


Gold Medal
Gold medal



Los Nahuales Joven Mezcal



Tres Papalote Joven Normál
Agave Species: Wild Cupreata   (Guerrero)

Nose: Treacle, vanilla, honey, apple, pear, citrus, lime, asparagus, woody, oaky, tobacco, peat moss, maritime, seawater, morning mist, crisp.
Palate: Nougat, vanilla, cream soda, honey, exotic agave, peach, papaya, apple, raw pear, corn, barley, dried herbs, spearmint, mint, cinnamon, pepper, pink peppercorns, mineral oil, a weeping willow of smoke. wood, soft, smooth.
Finish: Pineapple, dark chocolate, creamy, clove, anise, mint gum, spicy, tobacco, fresh, clean, a wet rock on the ocean, smooth, beautiful.


Gold Medal
Gold medal



Tres Papalote Joven Normál Mezcal

 

 

 

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