The Single Village Del Maguey Vida de San Luis Del Rio Mezcal

Continuing our exploration of mezcal with the widely distributed (thanks to the distillery's purchase by international spirits company Pernod Ricard) and easily recognized Del Maguey Vida de San Luis Del Rio Mezcal  ($37). The distillery - named after the Taino word for agave - was founded in 1995 by Ron Cooper who envisioned opening the United States to previously unavailable "100% certified organic, artisanal Mezcal produced using original handcrafted methods".  And in particular, this brand was intended to highlight individual villages by releasing single village mezcals. The green bottles are also easily recognized by their distinctive Ken Price labels and palm fiber bottle covers. The Vida label is Price's artistic interpretation of an agave farm.

The Vida is crafted as an entry-level Mezcal with "an ABV profile called for by bartenders around the world".  It is traditionally handcrafted from 100% mature agave Espadín by the family of Paciano Cruz Nolasco in the village of San Luis Del Rio.  The Nolascos are also responsible for the Crema de Mezcal, San Luis Del Rio, Madrecuixe, and Tobaziche labels. The Vida Mezcal starts with vicious smoke on aroma which may be why bartenders favor it as an ingredient. The smoke stretches like the palm fiber covers through the flavor profile. The base is a smooth and creamy sweet agave core laced with tropical fruit. The smooth tail lasts with zero burn and elevating the smoked agave. 

The first cocktail I tried with it is a version of the Mezcal Mule using our reliable Appalachian Brewing Company Ginger Beer. The ginger and smoke dance together as the bite from the ginger beer elevates the mezcal.  An alternative is to add Grapefruit juice to provide more tang and to lengthen consumption. Check back for more cocktail recipes. Cheers. 

Mezcal Mule
Ginger Beer
Del Maguey Vida
Lime juice

Del Maguey Vida Production Notes:
Village: San Luis Del Rio
Palenquero: Paciano Cruz Nolasco, Marcos Cruz Mendez
State: Oaxaca
Region: Valles Centrales
Maguey: Espadin
Agave Species: A. angustifolia haw
Age of Maguey: 7-8 years
Elevation: 2952 feet (900 meters)
Roast Duration: 3-8 days
Type of Wood: Mezquite, Quebrachi, Huamuchil, Pitayo,
Pochotle, Tepeguaje, Copal Tepomaco, Pino, Encino
Milling: Molino, Electric
Size of Tinas: 1400 L
Fermentation Duration: 8-10 days
Water Source: Rio Hormiga Colorada
Still Type: Copper
Still Size: 350 L
ABV of Mezcal: 42%
Liquid Profile: Vida is distilled to be more widely available with an ABV profile called for by bartenders around the world. 

Del Maguey Minero Single Village Santa Catarina Minas Mezcal

Recently I had dinner had my favorite Vienna restaurant, Alegria, and for the first time, skipped the tequila and sampled some Mezcal. This spirit is the original Mexican spirit, first distilled by the conquistadors after they ran out of rum. They noticed that the indigenous population drinking pulque, a fermented beverage from the maguey agave plant. Distillation soon commenced and today it is distilled throughout Mexico - although its epicenter is Oaxaca. 

In the past, I had avoided mezcal primarily because I had only tasted lower end versions (with the worm) which didn't compare favorably to Mezcal's tequila offspring. No longer - particularly after a round of Del Maguey (ma–gay) Minero Single Village Santa Catarina Minas Mezcal ($70).  This is as  tasty as any fine 100% blue agave Tequila,  with a mango nose and flavor followed by an enticing shot of motor oil - think rich and smooth. This mezcal is completely organic, not because they strive to reach that certification, but because that's how they've been producing the spirit for centuries. This particularly brand comes from the village of Santa Catarina Minas and palenqueros, Florencio Carlos Sarmiento and his sons Florencio Carlos Vasquez and Luis Carlos Vasquez. They pound the roasted agave by hand and then distill the fermented pulp in a clay still with bamboo tubing rather than a copper still and tubing. Now that's cool. And major kudos to Del Maguey for singling out individual family palenqueros in small villages in every mezcal in their collection. I'll keep looking for the green bottle.