Bozal Mezcal Espadín-Barril-Mexicano

Solid mezcal, no sugar or medicinal after taste. Just smoky enough.

Strong. Really nice

Nose - smooth, agave, salt Palate - salty, agave Finish - very smooth (like water) but still has a brief kick, then smoky aftertaste Overall - this is very drinkable. I like the salt

Nice to find a (hopefully) good mezcal in the Midwest that isn't Vida. Of course, the packaging is very attractive, but I hope what's inside also stands up. What is impressive is to be able to find a mezcal, or even a tequila, that's higher than 80 proof, so this merits a good start. Agave and unknown botanicals is the first thing I get on the scent. There is salt, and the agave that is present seems well cooked down and less harsh, but there isn't much else here, and certainly no smoky profile. Very clean and simple agave fill the mouth on the initial taste. There's a sugar water backing to this, but it's not sweet enough to be just sugar. The salt is here, but muted somewhat, letting agave with lighter floral notes and medium vegetal flavors steal the show. There is a hint of smokiness near the finish, right before the slightly higher proof introduces an impressive burn. This is a really nice, high quality mezcal that, again, I did not expect to find in a small store in the Midwest. It's not as smoky as I would have liked, but I didn't have anything to go off of to believe it would be. It's tiers above quality and taste compared to Vida, and very attractive for the price point. As long as you're not trying to find a show stopper mezcal, this would be a great pick to have around, to both impress but keep things simple.