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About Blanco Mezcal

About Blanco Mezcal
Blanco mezcal is a spirit from Mexico that can be made from as many as 18 different types of the agave plant, some cultivated and some wild. Most are produced in the Mexican state of Oaxaca. A blanco mezcal is distilled in a copper still (sometimes double distilled) and is not aged in oak, thus preserving a clear appearance.

Mezcal is often confused with tequila, as both are made from agave. But while tequila must be made from one specific blue agave, mezcal can be produced from eighteen different types of agave (maguey). There are two types of mezcal, those made exclusively from maguey and those made from at least 80% maguey mixed with other ingredients. Mezcal has similar aging terms as tequila, such as reposado and añejo, but generally mezcal is more of an artisanal product, so examples of mezcal vary more than tequila.

Most are double-distilled, while some are triple-distilled and then aged for several years in oak barrels. Flavors range from smoked herbs and pepper to tobacco and charred fruits. Serve these on their own, in an adventuresome cocktail, or with a cigar.

Top Picks for Blanco Mezcal

Del Maguey San Pablo Ameyaltepec Single Village Blanco Mezcal
98 points
$124
Del Maguey
San Pablo Ameyaltepec Single Village Blanco Mezcal
Clear color. Savory, smoky aromas and flavors of smoked meats and cheeses, grilled tropical fruits and corn, olive tapenade, oil paint, and terra cotta and clay with a chewy, vibrant, fruity medium-to-full body and a warming, epic, very long finish imparting notes of horchata, smoked peppers and peppercorns, and exotically spiced cookies. An amazingly elegant and decadent Mezcal whose flavor and finesse may leave you speechless.
98 points $124
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Date Tasted:
Mezcal Vago Mezcal Espadin Joel Barriga
97 points
$54
Mezcal Vago
Mezcal Espadin Joel Barriga
Clear color. Umami aromas and flavors of barrel aged balsamic and parmesan reggiano, chocolate dipped pineapple, jack fruit, sweet peppers and fresh garden herbs, and smoked hickory with a round, lively, dryish fat body and a complex, medium-long finish with impressions of canned pineapple, aged cheese funk, tacos al pastor with chives and sour cream, cremini mushroom, forest floor, salted, and buttered popcorn. An outstanding example of a Blanco Mezcal; it hits all the right herbaceous, savory, and sweet notes in harmony.
97 points $54
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Date Tasted:
Mezcal de Leyendas Verde San Luis Potosi Mezcal
97 points
$49.99
Mezcal de Leyendas
Verde San Luis Potosi Mezcal
Clear color. Aromas and flavors of cucumber, melon, lime spritz, caramelized orange, Ancho chile, Maggi, and golden raisins with a round, lively, fruity medium body and a warming, massively long finish with notes of pickled ginger, sweet guava pastry, cured meats, and black olives. A sweet, savory, salty, juicy display of complexity and finesse; enjoy this Blanco Mezcal liberally.
Awards: 2021 Best Mezcal
97 points $49.99
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Date Tasted:
Lobos 1707 Blanco Mezcal Artesenal
96 points
$54
Lobos 1707
Blanco Mezcal Artesenal
Clear color. Aromas and flavors of olives and cured salmon, charcuterie board, pencil lead, and grapefruit and orange pith with a round, lively, off-dry medium body and a warming, complex, medium-length finish that shows shades of pickling vinegar, sauer kraut, brisket burnt ends, cured salmon, apple, and pink peppercorn. An delightfully rich, complex Mezcal for all manner of occasions.
96 points $54
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Date Tasted:
Salvadores 70 400 2020 Artesanal Espadín Joven Mezcal
96 points
$73
Salvadores 70 400
2020 Artesanal Espadín Joven Mezcal
Clear color. Fruity, green, overripe aromas and flavors of marzipan, over ripe red apple, green jolly rancher, guava, and dill pickles with a supple, soft, dry-yet-fruity light-to-medium body and a hot, interesting, medium-length finish with accents of schezwan peppercorn, toasted coconut, and wet tobacco. A complex and interesting Mezcal with a wonderful balance of spice, smoke, and sweet that keeps you coming back to the glass.
96 points $73
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Date Tasted:
400 Conejos Mezcal Joven Artesanal
95 points
$29
400 Conejos
Mezcal Joven Artesanal
Clear color. Meaty, minerally, nutty, herbal, green aromas and flavors of pepper, salt, cured pork belly, composting grass, petrol, burnt rubber, new leather, and kambucha with a round, lively, dryish medium body and a warming, intricate, medium-long finish that exhibits overtones of hard italian cheese, cured meats, chorizo, salsa verde, bleu cheese, and caramelized apple. A savory and umami Mezcal that stands out from the crowd and becomes more enjoyable with each sip.
95 points $29
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Date Tasted:
Del Maguey Vida Blanco Mezcal
95 points
$37
Del Maguey
Vida Blanco Mezcal
Clear color. Funky, grassy, green, herbal, hoppy aromas and flavors of barnyard funk/ brett/ cdp (chateau rayas), wet leather, red berries, leather, rose petal, mediterranean herb garden, spring meadow, and permanent marker with a round, lively, dry-yet-fruity medium-to-full body and a warming, complex, medium-long finish with notes of strawberry lemonade, grass, hay, leather, red fruits and citrus, sweet pepper, fruit cup, lime zest, and rose water. A fruity, funky, and savory Mezcal full of delightful flavors and aromas that keep you coming back.
95 points $37
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Date Tasted:
Montelobos Espadín Joven Mezcal
95 points
$39
Montelobos
Espadín Joven Mezcal
Clear color. Grassy, umami, savory aromas and flavors of olive brine, blue cheese stuffed olives, elote, sweet corn and spices, mint, caramelized plantains, honey, and pistachio with an oily, dry fat body and a peppery, distinctive, medium-long finish displaying impressions of blanched almond, roasted tomato, coconut cream with cracked black pepper, cider apple, and spiced pear. A sweet, savory, and funky fun Mezcal that will surprise and delight your palette with every sip.
95 points $39
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Date Tasted:
Creyente Mezcal Artesanal Joven
95 points
$49
Creyente
Mezcal Artesanal Joven
Clear color. Meaty, green aromas of savory, meaty, funky, cheesy, umami, barnyard/ distilled brett, dried rose petal, roasted almost burned walnut, olive brine, and bleu cheese with a fat body and a very long cedar plank, green apple, strawberry preserves, poblano, and fire roasted corn finish. A very bold, funky Mezcal that will be greatly enjoyed whether sipped or in mixed cocktails.
95 points $49
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Date Tasted:
Mezcal Vago Mezcal Elote
95 points
$54
Mezcal Vago
Mezcal Elote
Clear color. Oily, peppery aromas and flavors of redhots candies, banana runts candies, red cherry simple syrup, roasted pepper, black pepper in hot oil, and pickled ginger with a round, vibrant, dry-yet-fruity medium-to-full body and a peppery, compelling, long finish with accents of baked and brandied red fruits, citrus peel, peppered fruit, peppered papaya, nutella, and christmas spices. An intense, complex Mezcal that combines delightful flavors of spice and fruit.
95 points $54
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Date Tasted: