Apparently there was a shortage of agave during 2000 to 2004. Since a lot of the agave used for mezcal is not cultivated but harvested from the wild, the guys at Del Maguey had to come up with something.

Add to a shortage the fact that most types of agave need the better part of a decade to mature, you can imagine they were kind of anxious to get everything secured quickly.

When truckers came from Jalisco, they brought blue agave, or Weber agave, or Maguey Azul with them to plant in Oaxaca. San Luis Del Rio to be exact. After seven years a blue agave mezcal was made.

I like to think of this one as a nice cross over between tequila and mezcal, since tequila is always made from blue agave (which is grown in Jalisco, mostly). So, apart from this being a single village mezcal, this also is a different kind of agave. Cool stuff, since the Mezcal Vida from Del Maguey is also from San Luis Del Rio, but made with 100% Espadin agave.

Sniff:
Very plant like and a lot more agave flavor here. Less smoky too, maybe because this is earth roasted and the Vida isn’t (I don’t know that, I might ask around). This does smell a lot more like tequila, without being as clean. There is a hint of dirty smoke behind it, with some green banana and other unripe fruits. Slightly solventy too.

Sip:
The palate again holds the middle between tequila and the other mezcals I’ve tried. It’s very interesting since it has the smoke, oil fumes and burning plants sensation of mezcal like Chichicapa and Vida, with the crisp, agave like flavors of tequila. Quite dry if you let it sit for a while, with a leather like feel. Some fruit, more crisp than on the nose. Apple, cactus, melon maybe.

Swallow:
The finish has that solventy note again. There’s smoke too, quite like burning plants and huge on the agave notes. Not too fierce, and nicely warming.

I was a bit apprehensive of this one since a fellow sharer thought it was rather glue-y. I can see what he’s getting at with the solventy notes I get too. I do think the blue agave adds a nice touch to a product trying to set itself apart.

Is it nice? Well, yes. Although if you want a really good mezcal you might better go for the Chichicapa since that has the more quintessential scents and flavors. This one is really good for diversification though.

Also, my bottle came with a cork stopper dipped in beeswax. That’s kind of awesome.

San Luis Del Rio, agave Azul, Del Maguey, 47%. Available at DrankGigant for € 67.50. In the UK it’s over £ 100 somehow.