Ilegal Mezcal Joven

Ilegal joven is one of those mezcals that I would consider giving someone who is just trying to get into mezcal. It's not very complex, pretty standard stuff but for the most part gets the job done and works pretty well in cocktails. The nose is pretty musty and smokey. The palate is a bit one note, heavy on the smoke with a little bit of sweetness. It's very thin and not very complex. The finish is a bit metallic with some heat and fades pretty quickly. All in all it's not bad, but it's too boring to really be considered something you would go for neat. In cocktails though, it does serve a purpose. I will say, I tried this in a clay copita, as well as in a glass and it was better in the clay copita. It helped to smooth out the finish and I got less of the metallic industrial taste. I would say if you were only drinking this neat, it's a 2/2.25, but as a cocktail ingredient you can boost it up to the 2.5.

Sharp, not particularly Smokey. The taste was a bit harsh, not for sipping.

Nose is pleather and Spaghetti-Os (metallic can with some kind of artificial sweet). Some smoke (eg: vinyl pleather). Evolves with water or ice and becomes an excellent sipper. Melon and vegetable tastes. Fails in the Down n Dirty Margarita. Excels in the Spice of Life Margarita.