cascode
Mezcal Vago Elote
Mezcal Joven — Oaxaca, Mexico
Reviewed
May 18, 2018 (edited August 7, 2022)
* My bottle: Lot A-20-EL-16.
Nose: Sweet fruity aromas over a herby, vegetal base. Soft and slightly salty minerality. No smoke whatsoever.
Palate: The arrival is soft and slow, mildly fruity, nutty and cereal, but this changes to a salty development. Lots of brine and white pepper but balanced by a cereal/fruity oiliness. The texture is arguably the best part of the palate.
Finish: Medium. As the mouth absorbs the salt and pepper kick it moves to a pleasant vegetal sweetness in the aftertaste.
Unlike most others who have reviewed this I don't find any specific corn flavour or aroma. However corn does have an influence here both on the mouthfeel (which is silky and slightly oily-thick) and by contributing sweetness to the palate that somewhat balances the salty profile. It's like a vegan pechuga, with corn instead of chicken breast, where the corn adds balance and roundness rather than overt aroma or flavour.
It's a finely crafted and clean mezcal that lacks the flavour complexity of some others but substitutes a very pleasant texture. There's a balance between pepper and cool salt, with mild sweet fruit and cereal in the background. There's no smoke anywhere, which might be due to a narrow cut and minimal tempering, or maybe the roasting process (perhaps they don't use an earth oven?). Like most mezcal it develops more sweetness when diluted, as well as a touch of mintiness.
The abv is relatively high for a mezcal (the Distiller notes say 50.2% but this is a batch product that varies slightly and my bottle states 51%).
"Good" : 84/100 (3.75 stars)
120.0
AUD
per
Bottle
Create Account
or
Sign in
to comment on this review