Real Minero Espadin y Largo has notes of fresh green herbs, orange blossoms, and wet clay. The two different agave make this feel balanced and round.
About this mezcal
Real Minero Espadin y Largo is an Ensamble of wild maguey Largo and cultivated maguey Espadin. This mezcal has been sold in Oaxaca for many years and is available in limited supply in the US and other markets. It’s traditionally produced in Santa Catarina Minas and it’s double-distilled in Real Minero’s signature clay pots. Both of the agave used in this mezcal are grown as part of Real Minero’s massive sustainability program.
Real Minero
Real Minero (previously Mezcal Real Minero) is considered by many to be one of the world’s finest mezcal producers. The Angeles family has been making mezcal for several generations in Santa Catarina Minas, Oaxaca. Their mezcal is made in small clay pot stills, and almost all of it is rested in glass for several months before bottling, giving the mezcal a much softer character. Outside of creating great spirits, they also have one of the largest and most diverse sustainable agave reforestation programs. With the help of the community, they’ve been able to rescue several agave varieties that were previously thought to be extinct. The ABV of each batch may vary slightly, so check your bottle for details.
In 2020, the brand began dropping the word “mezcal” from their labels. The term “traditional” replaces the CRM “ancestral” designation. Shortly thereafter, the brand officially parted ways with the certification process; all future releases will be labeled as “agave spirits” or something similar. Despite the label changes, nothing significant about their production process has changed over years.
Learn more:
- Real Minero agave nursery tour on Mezcal Reviews
- Real Minero palenque tour on Mezcal Reviews
- Listen to Graciela Angeles Carreño talk about her family’s production on the Show De Vie Podcast: Ep 291 – Graciela Angeles Carreño – The Real Thing.
Review this bottle
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Jam
99 reviewsbatch DRMM2-12, 52% abv
Review #61: big notes of lime, orange and vanilla on the nose. The lime, vanilla, and orange stay on the front of the palate, then some under-ripe pineapple as it transitions it into more vegetal and grassy, some celery, minerals, and clay and light earth on the finish.
The big citrus notes surprised me a bit. I was expecting a bit more of that earthy and vegetal palate to show up on the nose after tasting, but no dice. This is a pretty good ensamble. As others have noticed, and I wouldn’t say it’s necessarily a negative, but it is a bit soft. Not much of a boldness from any note in particular on the palate. This is what i could call crushable. No need to think too deep about this one, but still easily able to drink this all day.
batch DRMM2-12, 52% abv
Review #61: big notes of lime, orange and vanilla on the nose. The lime, vanilla, and orange stay on the front of the palate, then some under-ripe pineapple as it transitions it into more vegetal and grassy, some celery, minerals, and clay and light earth on the finish.
The big citrus notes surprised me a bit. I was expecting a bit more of that earthy and vegetal palate to show up on the nose after tasting, but no dice. This is a pretty good ensamble. As others have notic
meserole
73 reviewsButtery, herbal, creamy, but perhaps just a bit “pleasantly bland” compared to the more distinctive single-agave mezcals at Real Minero.
Tried this at the Real Minero palenque, so no bottle information unfortunately.
Soxfan
18 reviewsVery smooth for its 51.8% ABV. Richly flavored, robustly lush, and delicious from start to finish. Quite excellent overall. BATCH RM2-01 from 2014.
Bottle 412/709.
Nic Hnastchenko
108 reviewsMore fresh and fruity than other karwinskii’s I’ve had. Coming in at a nice 51.8%, very tasty, very smooth.
Tyler
625 reviewsGood but doesn’t impress me as much as the single-agave releases from Real Minero. This ensamble is soft and composed with notes of key lime pie, orange peel, and green honeydew. The finish is a bit dry. Didn’t catch the batch but tried it in the US so it is likely a more recent batch. 3 stars.
2021 update – found a bottle of batch R?2-01 from 2014. Bottle 624/709. 51.8% which seems a bit high for Don Lorenzo. At any rate, this is a great mezcal. Initial flavors are a strong mint and menthol. Almost of note of white Tic Tacs meet grape Jolly Rancher thing here. Finish is sour clay and charred wood. There is a lot of character and complexity here. 4 stars.
Good but doesn’t impress me as much as the single-agave releases from Real Minero. This ensamble is soft and composed with notes of key lime pie, orange peel, and green honeydew. The finish is a bit dry. Didn’t catch the batch but tried it in the US so it is likely a more recent batch. 3 stars.
2021 update – found a bottle of batch R?2-01 from 2014. Bottle 624/709. 51.8% which seems a bit high for Don Lorenzo. At any rate, this is a great mezcal. Initial flavors are a strong mi
Squashplayer
36 reviewsMy first nose on this is a very smooth vanilla. Earthy taste in the mouth but still very smooth. I did not think this one was very hot tasting even at 51.8 ABV. Overall, very enjoyable and unique. Batch RM2-01/2014. Bottle 176/709
Jonny
680 reviewsBatch RM2-01 from 2014. Bottle 81/709. Very nice aromas of wet clay, humidity, and vanilla beans. This is thick and viscous. Really nice in the mouth. Well rounded with tastes of fresh fruit and soft malleable clay.