Back
during my misspent youth, and by that I mean my early 20's,
I encountered Mezcal. I especially remember my first encounter
because that's when I discovered the magical worm inside the
bottle. And I'll never forget the taunts and jeers and peer
pressure to swallow that worm. I have to admit that by the
time we got down to the bottom of that bottle of Mezcal I
had topped up my courage and swallowed that worm so fast I
didn't even taste it much less take a bite out of it. Oh and
by the way that Mezcal was horrid stuff back then that led
to monumental hangovers and other unpleasant side effects
I won't go into at this moment.
On
top of that, I wasn't really sure what in the hell Mezcal
even was. I had heard rumors that it was distilled from those
slimy worms or even magic mushrooms and after having tasted
probably the worst Mezcal in the world I would have believed
any of those misstatements. Well, that was way back in the
1970's, and back then, that horrible Mezcal was the standard
and that worm was merely a marketing ploy. Today, you will
no longer find a worm in the bottle and the taste and flavor
of Mezcal has advanced dramatically, just like Tequilas and
they have both entered the world of super-premiums.
You
see, all Tequilas are actually Mezcals but not all Mezcals
are Tequilas. HUH? Let me explain. Tequila and Mezcal are
produced in different states of Mexico. Tequila, by law can
only be made with Blue Agave, while Mezcal can be made from
upwards of 30 varieties of agave. The production process for
Mezcal is different from Tequila, which leads to a different
taste profile for each of them.
In
artisanal mezcal production, the pinas are cooked in an underground,
earthen pit lined with volcanic rock. A fire is started with
wood heating the rocks to extreme heat. The pinas (agave hearts)
are then placed into the pit and covered with earth. This
underground "oven" now smokes, cooks and caramelizes
the pina over several days.
Okay,
so at this point, you are either edified or completely confused,
so let's get to the tasting as that always helps me to figure
out whether I am coming or going. The Sombra Mezcal comes
in hand blown bottles that are made from recycled glass making
each one unique and hand crafted just like the contents. Speaking
of the contents, this spirit is transparent like water with
just the slightest hint of a pale, vegetative green color.
The nose is quite vegetative with the hint of agave and a
touch of smoke. On the palate, I first get the taste of agave
followed by that subtle smoke and then a surprisingly pleasant
peppery and salty spiciness. The finish is peppery with hints
of toffee and agave and lasts a fair amount of time.
This
Sombra Mezcal is one very tasty treasure. The smokiness, without
being oaky is simply a joy. The flavor of the agave is right
up front and balanced with the salt and pepper flavors. There's
a whole lot of flavor in this spirit, and honestly I think
it's better than most Silver Tequilas. If you like tequila,
you'll love Sombra Mezcal.
Sombra
Mezcal comes in 750ML bottles and is 45% ABV and
can be found for around $33.99 up to $42.99.
By George Brozowski
For
more Rants & Raves click
here.
http://sombramezcal.com/
