Ojo De Dios Joven Mezcal 70cl | Award Winning Spirit | Handcrafted from Agave l Sustainably Farmed | Perfect for Cocktails and Sipping

Product Information

That concluded the Tequila segment of the competition. The tasting then focused its efforts on the spirit’s up‐and‐coming cousin, mezcal. Tanner said: “These Tequilas were worth the price point. If I were able to buy any of these in the lower, mid‐range of the price point especially, I’d be stoked.”

There were many brands selling in plastic containers with the name of mezcal and people really associate those bad quality or poor-quality products with the name mezcal. Thankfully the CRT and the different producers came together and said, “Okay, well let’s just start from the beginning. And let’s really promote the category in a better way.” Eduardo: I guess actually. I mean, I always say that mezcal is closer to wine than to anything else. In wine, you have different grape varieties which gives you different wine. A Chardonnay from Napa Valley is a completely different wine from a Chardonnay in South Africa or from Argentina. After much consideration, the judges agreed to award the coveted Taste Master title to Sierra Milenario Tequila Extra Añejo. Pushing the boundaries The difference between the two seems subtle — tequila can only be made from blue agave, whereas mezcal can be distilled from any of the agave species that grow all over Mexico — but in practice, they're worlds apart. Chambers said: “Quality‐wise, this was a solid tasting. And you’re starting to see one or two producers pushing the boundaries of what can be done.”Tanner remained equally enthused about agave‐based spirits. He added: “I think we’ll see, perhaps like gin, in a year or two there will be a more ‘contemporary’ Tequila category with different barrel finishes and a more experimental level. As mezcal becomes more popular, will the category submit to industrialisation to meet increased demand? Will mezcal need to industrialise to grow? Another brand with a plan is Bruxo. “We have a long‐term vision for supporting the growth of our business and practices,” says European brand manager Anne‐Sophie Vacher. “We insist that all of our artisanal production processes are preserved, and that we continue in a sustainable path.” I think that is there is a before and after the Tequila and Mezcal Fest, because obviously people liked it. We were in the Financial Times; we were in The Guardian; people were talking about tequila. Obviously, it’s not only me. There were lots of people doing a lot of work, the brands themselves, I mean the big brands have invested a lot of money on promoting properly tequila and mezcal.

Eduardo: It was a 100% agave. The category or the CRT, the regulatory consul of tequila, created the mixto pretty much to cope with the demand in America. So, in Mexico, we drank 100% agave. There would be some mixtos in the supermarket, but we will know all the mixes went off to America. Eduardo: I had everything in my mind, you know, so I went first to meet with four different producers. After that trip, I had chosen one. Then we started talking about exactly what I wanted.

And then if you continue going up to the North to Durango, Durangensis, that’s very leathery, cinnamon rubber. You know what I mean? Every time I drink Durango mezcal, it reminds me of when you open a box of brand-new leather shoes or leather bag. When you open that box and you get this aroma of brand-new leather, that’s how it tastes and smells, the mezcal from Durango, for instance. Eduardo: Right. This is the premiere of this beautiful product, which is called ODD mezcal, ODD Cafe, we have to call it ODD because Ojo de Dios is difficult for people to pronounce. So, it’s made of mezcal, of cafe, which is basically my delicious 42% espadin agave mezcal blended and macerated with organic Arabica coffee beans from Oaxaca. This is the first coffee mezcal in the industry. It’s a mezcal because it’s 35%. It’s not a liqueur. To be a mezcal, you need to be 35 to 55% ABV. It’s just basically my mezcal, organic Arabica coffee beans from Oaxaca and a tiny bit of unrefined sugar cane sugar. Lobos 1707 Extra Añejo Tequila also gained a Master title for being “elegant”, with a “nice balance of flavours”. Silky texture