Mezcal Tasting

The Mezcal Tasting in Casa Analco (Mazatlán, SIN) was a stunning experience. As I entered the bar, my eyes were first drawn to the tree, which grows right through the space, making the room look very organic. A simple countertop table with high chairs is built around the centerpiece tree. The bar along one wall is kept simple – a straight classy countertop, shelves with bottles on the wall behind. The walls are bare concrete. The only lavish piece of decoration is a giant mirror, elaborately framed, on the wall opposite the bar. 

The countertop around the tree was set up for three participants, identifiable by the sheets of paper for tasting notes accompanied by pens. On the high tabletop around the tree were displayed several bottles, chocolates, bags of coffee beans as well as some glassware and stone pottery. I arrived a little early, and Sam, the tasting guide, was still setting up his monitor for the presentation.

Soon, the other participants arrived, a lovely American couple with their West Highland White Terrier Bayley. After introductions and some chatting, Sam got started with the presentation. Some information about his employer, 6 Sentidos (6 senses), and their mission: to partner with high-quality traditional Mexican craftsmen and artisans and bring their products to the consumer. This was, however, not unsavory marketing. He showed us the different products they supported, explained the traditional production processes and elaborated on the sustainability and social responsibility as well as some politics surrounding the various crafts. 

The Casa Analco staff brought us the first Mezcal, which was their own brand, a lovely addition to Sam’s usual tastings. The presentation was exquisite: the glass was set on a traditional terracotta plate along with two types of salt, one red and the other black, and slices of citrus fruit. Sam elaborated that the citrus fruit was orange – to be honest, I didn’t believe him until I tasted it later because the skin was green and the flesh yellow – the red salt was called scorpion salt containing some chile and scorpion (!), and the black salt contained charcoal. All of them were very tasty, and I took a special liking to the scorpion salt, which had a slight iron taste. 

Before tasting the Mezcal, Sam gave us a taste of 100% chocolate, slightly sweetened with natural agave syrup and small almond pieces. It was creamy and chocolaty and not really sweet but also not bitter – a fantastic start of the tasting experience.

Next, we received tasting instructions before diving into the first Mezcal. Very similar to my experiences with Scotch single malt whisky, this was familiar advice for me: First, smell the Mezcal. Never shoot it, instead “kiss” it. Experience the taste and allow yourself to make personal associations. After tasting it, smell it again. 

The first Mezcal was, as already mentioned, the Casa Analco house bottle. It was from Durango and the taste was light yet so much richer than any of the commercial products I had ever tasted before. All of the Mezcales that were part of this tasting were either artisanal or ancestral. Sam described the different processes of production, supported with photos of the equipment used for each type. We also learned that Mezcal can be made from 21+ different kinds of agave, and each plant imparts a different flavour. Every master distiller also instills his own art into the process resulting in a vast variety of flavours and sensations in different Mezcales. 

Sam paced the tasting by presenting the different parts of the process between each Mezcal. The harvesting of the different types of agave and differences of the plants. Roasting of the agave hearts, also called “pineapples” due to their appearance, in different types of ovens or autoclaves. Grinding the roasted hearts, in the ancestral method by hand with big mallets for fourteen hours (!); or in the artisanal process with a millstone powered by horsepower or, in more modern distilleries, by motor; or for more commercial products by machinery. Fermentation. Distillation. 

In between the Mezcal tastes, we also got to taste the handcrafted chocolates he brought, each with 70% cacao, one with chile, one with salt and almonds, and another with cardamom. He paired them wisely with the appropriate Mezcal.

The second Mezcal we tasted was 400 Lustros from Oaxaca, which I loved. It was fresh but woody, distinctively agave, slightly sweet but more bitter in the finish. The taste was richer, deeper, stronger than the Casa Analco. At this point, I was hooked on Mezcal. As a side note, these tasting notes were my own personal ones. I am not an experienced taster and this was my very first experience with “proper” Mezcal, so don’t take them as gospel, and don’t crucify me if I got it “wrong”. I am just recounting my experience. 

The third Mezcal was, again, completely different from the previous tastes. The smell was strong and much smokier than the other two. I found it a little more difficult to access the agave taste at first, but it was delightfully intriguing. This one was Don Mateo de la Sierra from Michoacán.

The fourth taste was 3000 Noches from Oaxaca, and this one was an ancestral Mezcal. It was not as smoky as the Don Mateo but a bit spirity at first; it had a bite. Also, its taste notes were resiny. Very interesting. 

The fifth Mezcal was Rey Campero, Tepezate, and it had a strong, fresh agave taste. The agave plants for this Mezcal take twenty to twenty-five years to mature. I liked this one a lot; however, I also had to realize that at this point, my taste buds might have been quite influenced by the amount of alcohol I had already in my system. 

I seem to have missed my opportunity to take a photo of the bottle at Casa Analco.
These photos were shot in my kitchen - that's why they don't quite fit in with the others. Also, it's a small bottle rather than the full size one we had.

Sam opened a sixth bottle for us, another Rey Campero, this one made from the Jabalí plant. This Mezcal was slightly sweeter, and I didn’t like it as much as the others. He also gave us a small taste of the natural agave syrup from a bottle he brought. It tasted like honey and had a similar consistency. 

At the end of the tasting, I found it very difficult to choose between the bottles since I could not buy everything. I settled on a small bottle of Rey Campero, Tepeztate and a bottle of Don Mateo, but now that I have Sam’s contact, I am certain that I will eventually also get a bottle of the 400 Lustros. In a way, the latter was the easiest to drink and would be a great house Mezcal for my home. 

If you ever have a chance to attend one of Sam’s Mezcal tastings, I would highly recommend it. Or any kind of Mezcal tasting with a focus on artisanal and ancestral products. Honestly, if you enjoy the taste of your spirits, don’t bother with the commercial products. Find that special bottle. 

7 thoughts on “Mezcal Tasting

  1. You “kiss” the mezcal? This is definitely a kiss and tell account!

    I want to know more about the “scorpion” that’s in the salt… What?

    Love the beautiful little hand blown glass you got there!

  2. Hola Dee!! Thank you very much for your post. We are commited to offer the best products and a nice experience. Saludos and hopefully, ’til next time!

  3. Well it seems like the Whisky’s got you prepared! I couldn’t have. Had a bad tequila moment. Glad you enjoyed the tasting! The place looked really nice!

  4. The way yo narrate your tale makes it tasty. The people behind this: “a focus on artisanal and ancestral products. Honestly, if you enjoy the taste of your spirits, don’t bother with the commercial products. Find that special bottle.” this is Sam’s scope, you got it, thank you.

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