Review 158: Los Nahuales Anejo Mezcal

It's not quite time to return to whisky. First I'd like to review some Mexican spirits! Recently I've been quite taken with mezcal, the "other" agave spirit besides tequila. Mezcal is distilled from roasted and fermented agave (not necessarily just blue agave, as is the case with tequila). The agave hearts are generally roasted in pits using local foliage for fuel. This results in a smoky spirit which I think many fans of smokier scotch would take to readily. I certainly was surprised by the quality in the mezcals I tried. So, here is a little series on mezcal, but a tequila or two might creep in too!

Today I'm reviewing the Los Nahuales Anejo mezcal. This mezcal is produced in a very manual and old fashioned way, which is worth reading about here. I think that the long fermentation time using natural yeasts is a big factor in the high quality of this spirit. Los Nahuales spirits ferment for one to two weeks. Compare this to the aggressive fermentation by commercial distillers yeasts that takes place in about two days for most whiskies today! Anyway, lets try this deliciously different spirit...

Los Nahuales Anejo Mezcal

Color: Amber +1

ABV: 45.4%

Aroma Neat:
Rubber/Latex, Smoky/Earthy Desert Honey, Darkest Agave Syrup, Aloe Vera/Cactus, Mesquite Smoke, Barbecued Meat, Buttery Nuttiness (hazelnuts), Floral (roses, daisies, slightly), Vanilla Bean, Charred Oak, Searing Pork Fat.

Sweet, smoky, complex and pleasantly different from scotch whisky. This really just smells beautiful. Try it if you can.

Aroma Water:
Cactus/Aloe Vera, Roasted Agave, Coriander, White Pepper, Rich Vanilla, Carnitas, Wood Smoke (juniper, mesquite), Apple/Rosemary, Nutty/Sweet Oak, Lime/Avocado, Fried Corn, Pork Belly.

Spice and vanilla make for a really interesting mix here. Similar to neat, but rounder and more integrated.

Taste Neat:
Mesquite Smoke/Barbecued Meats (carnitas), Dirty/Earthy Dark Honey, Cactus, Fresh Black Pepper, Cumin, Coriander, Rubber/Hot Tar, Fatty Nuts, Lime/Apple Juice (distantly).

Spicy, smoky, and earthy. Good stuff that I think would go great with grilled food (better than most whisky, sorry!).

Taste Water:
Charred Wood/Agave, Earthy Desert Honey, Sweet Agave/Roast Vegetables, Charcoal (some lighter fluid!), Charred Fatty Meat, Rubber, Lime Juice, Stony Minerality.

Pretty much in-line with neat, but a bit sweeter and easier going. Still complex and surprising.

Finish:
Black Pepper, Wood/Charcoal Smoke, Charred Oak/Meats (pork fat, carnitas), Rubber, Dirt, Dark Honey, Burnt Vanilla Bean, Limey Guacamole (slightly), Roasted Corn. .

The finish is delicious and long lasting. It's in good keeping with the nose and palate.

Conclusion:
Interestingly complex nose with a surprisingly wide range of notes.

The palate and finish are similarly diverse and rewarding.

Try it if you can!

Rating: 90/100

Mezcal just may be a new passion of mine. This anejo is certainly a winner. In fact, I've been reaching for this instead of whisky recently. Stay tuned for my next review, which will be of the reposado Los Nahuales mezcal. A few more mezcals will follow. There are some really good whisky reviews in line too, I promise!

Josh