During a recent visit to Old Town Tequila in San Diego, the manager noticed a bottle of Del Maguey Arroqueno in my hand.  "If you like that, I have another arroqueno in the back that's even better."   Del Maguey is the only arroqueno mezcal I've had (thanks to a sample from @pbmichiganwolverine) but it's spectacular.  So I was slightly skeptical, but intrigued.  I told the manager I was interested and he retreated to the stock room, returning several minutes later with a bottle of Vago Arroqueno en Barro.  I'm familiar with Vago, having tried the excellent espadin and elote.  So I bought it. "Barro" translates to "mud" or "clay".  Here, it is descriptive of the small clay pots used for distilling, as well as the impact the clay distilling has on both the nose and palate with a solid base of earth and clay notes.   The smoke is quite light for a joven mezcal, but wonderful.  The clay and smoke are complimented by notes of agave, tropical fruit, dark fruits, and mint.   It's all wonderfully balanced. So is it better than the Del Maguey?  That's a matter of preference.  The Del Maguey is bold and powerful, deep and complex.  The Vago is rustic, earthy and far more subtle.   While I might be more likely to replace the Del Maguey, the Vago is different than any mezcal I've had and is exceptional in its own right.  The Vago team is apparently quite fanatical about the entire process, down to the type of ink used on the labels.  Vago uses some labor-intensive and time-consuming distillation techniques, and its mezcals are produced in very small batches - usually between 200 and 500 liters.  It's a true craft effort that shines.