The Volcán de Colima most recently erupted in early 2019, spewing fire and volcanic ash up to 13k feet above the crater. Our friend Pancho was camping on its steep slope when the eruption first started. “I heard this deep sub-surface crack,” he told us. “Like a bone breaking far beneath the ground we were […]
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After two years without an annual Mezcal Reviews research trip (¡pinche covid!), we finally traveled back to Mexico in May 2022. Our previous trips brought us to Oaxaca – by far the biggest mezcal producing state. After multiple Oaxaca trips, we knew it was time to expand our horizons. Mexico is a huge country with […]
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This is a guest blog post from our mezcalerbro Chris Palenque visits are some of my fondest memories from trips to Oaxaca. A palenque is a mezcal distillery where the agave is roasted, crushed, fermented, distilled, and bottled. I’ve been lucky enough to have enjoyed intimate visits with some of the most gracious mezcaleros and […]
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We don’t drink much tequila. Most tequila on the US market is mass-produced and over-industrialized, which is a major a turnoff. While almost all tequila distilleries have seemingly lost their way with the use of diffusers and other chemical additives, there’s still a very small handful of producers that are making tequila the traditional way. […]
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Our first contact with Caballito Cerrero came several years ago, at our annual Mezcal Reviews Party. The celebration marks the anniversary of the launching the Mezcal Reviews website, and it coincides nicely with Mexican Independence day in September. We typically have 6-8 pre-selected flights, on which we gather feedback, and there are usually another 15-20 […]
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Texas is the second largest state in the United States of America. The state has the longest stretch of border with Mexico. The entire borderline is demarcated by a river, the Rio Grande, and borders four Mexican states: Tamaulipas, Nuevo León, Chihuahua, and Coahuila. Thousands of families share relatives on both sides of the border. […]
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This post was originally published in December 2016 and has been updated There is a lot of mezcal in Austin, Texas. Whether you’re looking to have a mezcal Paloma, or you’re trying to get totally smoked (pun intended) on straight mezcal, Austin has options for you. It’s the perfect city for mezcal. People here are […]
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For many mezcal fans, Asis Cortés is their first introduction to Oaxaca, and an original glimpse at Oaxacan culture and life. He’s travelled the globe, bringing Casa Cortés brands like El Jolgorio and Nuestra Soledad to the Acropolis of Athens, to the Mr. Purple Rooftop Lounge in NYC, and beyond. We first met Asis at […]
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This is a guest blog post from our mezcalerbro Chris Oaxaca is one of the most magical places in the world, with its art, amazing cuisine, good vibes, and most importantly… its mezcal. I’ve been accompanying Jonny and Tyler on the Mezcal Reviews annual trip to Oaxaca since 2017. This is a list of some […]
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When you look at a bottle of Viejo Indecente mezcal you will see an eye staring back at you. It is the eye of an old man, staring through a keyhole. The name of this “dirty old man” mezcal was inspired by Charles Bukowski, the writer and poet. Each bottle also comes with a key […]
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We first wrote about Cinco Sentidos (5 Sentidos) last year in our blog post Cinco Sentidos and El Destilado. Jason, the co-founder of both the El Destilado restaurant and the Cinco Sentidos brand, has a knack for building relationships with producers who operate in some of the most remote regions of Oaxaca and beyond. The […]
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It was the summer of 2016, a few months before launching Mezcal Reviews. Jonny and I met after work at The Austin Shaker, a local bottle shop, to browse their mezcal selection. This was part of our “research phase” before launching the website. We chatted a bit with Kiki, the co-owner, who was eager to […]
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