Del Maguey Chichicapa Mezcal

I primarily indulge in Islay single malts to get my smoke fix. However, when I read the reviews of the Del Maguey Chichicapa I knew I had to give this juice a try. Having only had really bad mezcal in college, which was more than 15 years ago, I was prepared to be disappointed. I had no idea mezcal could be this good. Chichicapa is absolutely fantastic! The nose is full of beautiful smoke, pickled green beans, lime, pine, ash, dirt, vinegar and iodine. The pickled green beans and vinegar took me back to my childhood, reminding me of a three bean salad (served cold) that my mom would make in the summer. This mezcal initially hits the palate with a very soft entry, but flavors of smoke, mild chile pepper, pickled green beans, a strong mineral note and lime quickly bloom in all their glory. The finish is long, warm and complex. As the smoke and pickled green beans fade, you are left with the mineral note, vinegar and lime, in addition to tamarind, ash and a hint of mushroom. When it's all said and done a clean (and slightly dry) mineral flavor remains. From the nose to the finish and all points in between Chichicapa earns 5 stars all day long.

Having an interest in all things smoky, I’ve been very intent on trying this spirit for some time now. Del Maguey was founded in 1995 by itinerant artist Ron Cooper who fell in love with the beverage while traveling the back roads of Oaxaca (wa-ha-ca) Mexico years ago. Oaxaca is 1 of 32 federative entities that make up the country and is located in the southwest. This single state has over 500 mezcal production facilities (family producers) and this accounts for over 90% of Mexico’s total. Del Maguey calls their product “Single Village Mezcal” and they source from many of the tiny communities that have been using the same distillation process for up to 300 years, consisting of clay ceramic stills with bamboo tubing. Mezcal can be made from any of several dozen varieties of agave, but not blue agave, which can only be used for tequila. The product reviewed utilizes the most common species called espadín, which is picked in roughly its seventh year of growth. The fruit of this plant is about the size of a watermelon; however, only its core (piña) is extracted for usage. These pieces are then placed in a rock-lined pit previously heated by wood fire. Depending on the type of mezcal, the woods used as burning coals are very specific with examples being mesquite, huamuchil, eucalyptus, and oak. The cores are then covered with the plant’s remaining leaves and pulp before being entombed in a large mound of earth that traps both heat and smoke for baking that can last up to 5 days. The blackened remains are then typically ground using a horse or donkey powered stone mill. Well water is added to the mash and the concoction is allowed to ferment for up to 30 days in wooden vats. This final brew is then double distilled and most often sold without aging, thus looking crystal clear. In some cases, fresh fruits and spices are added to the wash during distillation for added complexity. The nose on this spirit took me immediately back to Islay and prompted a second look to make sure I hadn’t poured from the wrong bottle. Apparently, phenols are phenols, whether derived from peat smoke or otherwise. The smoke here, however, is an ashy smoke with a drying glencairn smelling like a doused out campfire. Immensely elegant, there were also scents of sprightly citrus and earthiness. Bottled at 46% ABV this spirit hits the palate dangerously smooth. The mouth feel is light to medium, very dry, and dominated by cayenne pepper (without the heat) and more citrus. A smooth, lightning fast finish with a touch of smoke encourages you to lift your glass almost immediately for a second and third try while the mind is saying, “Hey, slow down there buddy!” No water or ice is necessary for this one. Even my wife, who doesn’t like anything including me, loved this stuff and said it paired excellent with my homemade pizza. The production process of this expression brings a whole new meaning to the concept of “terroir.” Pernod Ricard purchased the company in June of 2017.