Los Danzantes Mezcal Reposado

Los Danzantes

Mezcal Reposado

Los Nahuales/Distileria Los Danzantes

41.6% Alcohol (83.2 Proof)

For a lot of people, mezcal is an enigma.  Many people think that the bottles with the worms or scorpions in them are specific types of tequila.  Well, no.  That's mezcal.  While coming from the agave plant like tequila, it is actually made from a different sub-species.  In addition, the hearts of the agave are roasted with mesquite, giving it smokier characteristic more like certain scotch.  Then the entire heart of the plant is fermented, fibers and all, whereas tequila production strains off the liquid and only ferments that.  

Los Nahuales makes some great mezcal out of the Los Danzantes Distillery in Oaxaca, Mexico.  They go over their mezcal process stating:

Exquisite and rich flavor from agave espadin grown in Oaxaca state. Traditional craft methods: agaves are slow roasted with mesquite, crushed with a stone mill, naturally fermented in a wooden tun, and double-distilled on a tiny hand-operated pot still. Distillers of mezcal put agave solids in the still (tequila distillers use extracted juice only), so that well-made mezcal is unusually full-bodied and complex.

Héctor Vazquez de Abarca is in charge of production at Distileria Los Danzantes, the source of Los Nahuales. His talent and passion means that every batch we get is better than the last. He retains the best from traditional methods, but he is also introducing refinements. Los Nahuales is more than great mezcal; it’s a world-class distilled spirit.

For now, I am reviewing Los Danzantes Mezcal Reposado.  Reposado means "rested" in Spanish and must be aged a minimum of 2 months, but not over one year in oak barrels.  Los Danzantes pours a clear, golden straw color.  It smells light and clean, with subtle smoke, honey, with the characteristic agave base.  While sipping it, you are treated to elegant smoke, a good oakiness, and a nice, subtle agave sweetness.  It finishes smooth, smooth, smooth.  Easily one of the smoothest and most well-balanced mezcals I have tried.  Give it a try, even if there is no worm in the bottle.  

Drink This: if you want a tasty, well-balanced, perfect example of mezcal that is smoooooooooth as can be.  . 

Don't Drink This: if you are going to drink it as shots.  This is more of a sipping mezcal.  Sadly, or maybe not, there is no worm or scorpion in the bottle...