Real Minero Espadin is clay pot distilled in Santa Catarina Minas. It’s fruity with plum and banana notes, smoke, touches of leafy mint, and sweet chocolate.
About this mezcal
Real Minero Espadin is clay pot distilled in Santa Catarina Minas. It’s fruity with plum and banana notes, smoke, touches of leafy mint, and sweet chocolate. Most batches of Real Minero Espadin are aged in glass before being bottled and distributed. A large batch was produced in 2008 with a limited amount of bottles being released every few years. Some of this mezcal from 2008 is still aging at the Real Minero palenque and will be bottled in the future.
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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BoulderBrexitRefugee
29 reviewsUPDATED REVIEW MID DEC 23:
Bonkers, but it’s finally turned into one of the tastiest mezcals I’ve ever had. Now I need another bottle…
UPDATED REVIEW LATE NOV 23:
What a difference a month makes. And maybe some air. The cork this bottle came with broke on its first outing so it’s been sitting there with an impromptu seal of aluminum foil. Decided to pull it off the shelf and give it another go. All that rancid brine flavor has dissipated and it’s now a decent tasting mezcal. IDK if it’s a 4 star plus mezcal, but it is, thank goodness, now pleasantly drinkable; definitely 3 stars. Still curious if it was a bad bottle, bad batch or just that this is normal and it needed time. Greatly relieved.
ORIGINAL REVIEW MID OCT 23:
The nastiest > $100 mezcal I’ve ever had. Absolutely gutted I have a bottle of this sitting on the shelf. I can’t even imagine you could hide the foulness in a cocktail.
Given the other reviews being so positive I can only assume that 1) this is just not even remotely close to my jam 2) it’s a very bad no good batch (DRME-12) or 3) something bizarre about this bottle. It’s like salt and vinegar chips mashed up with sour olive brine, a hospital supply room, burnt rubber and god knows what other abominations. Absolutely rank. Bitterly disappointed.
UPDATED REVIEW MID DEC 23:
Bonkers, but it’s finally turned into one of the tastiest mezcals I’ve ever had. Now I need another bottle…
UPDATED REVIEW LATE NOV 23:
What a difference a month makes. And maybe some air. The cork this bottle came with broke on its first outing so it’s been sitting there with an impromptu seal of aluminum foil. Decided to pull it off the shelf and give it another go. All that rancid brine flavor has dissipated and it’s now a decent tastin
Rakhal
421 reviewsL-00401 2008 Made by the legendary Don Lorenzo Angeles Mendoza. This is a perfectly balanced, sweet, floral, and just plain beautiful Mezcal. The clay is very light and integrated with the Agave flavors. Fantastic!
MinorThreet
7 reviewsBatch RME-10 2018
Nose: clay and sweet cooked agave, jalapeno, sugarcane, vanilla, bourbon
Palate: creamy sweet into tingly prickly agave notes, vanilla, and chili pepper
Finish: juicy tropical fruits, citrus zest, tingly effervence kinda carries from the palate, light clay notes follow all the way through.
Overall not crazy complex but super well balanced and integrated experience. Could crush this bottle.
aarild
152 reviewsFlint, toffee and melted butter with muscovado sugar. Banana fried in butter, hint of guava, Ceylon cinnamon, pecan nuts and charred wood. Fantastic espadin, very similar to Lalocura’s in fact — I would love to taste them side by side.
2018 Edgar Angeles, did not catch the batch.
Zack Klamn
542 reviewsTried at the RM palenque tasting room. This was 51% and rock solid. Roasted, sugary agave. Dried fruit. Orange slices. A hint of milk chocolate to complement the velvety clay in the finish. Edgar works espadin magic here.
tallchad
103 reviewsA good all-around sipper. From aroma to taste to finish, it’s good.
COak
228 reviewsBatch RME-06 2017 51.1%. Nice clay pot espadin, which there aren’t a ton of. Nose has notes of clay pots and bananas. On the tongue I get a bunch of dark cocoa and red apples.
razorbackmike
155 reviewsnot an average espadin.a notch above.yin and yang.strong but soft.simple but complex.agave and smoke on the nose.taste is vanilla,fig and earth.finish lingers with gentle heat and smoke and very sweet.ANY agave can be sublime in the right hands.don lorenzo has made a perfect espadin.wish they were all like that but thats why we love mezcals.such an incredible variety in the mezcal world!
Spirit_Chaser
20 reviewsBatch L-0011 2012 52.3%abv Espadin 10yrs
Don Lorenzo Angeles Mendoza
Lots of clay and acetone on the nose as well as hints of lavender and vanilla. More clay on the taste along with vanilla, light smoke, delicate mint, and strawberry rhubarb pie. Clay and smoked strawberries and mint linger on forever in the finish. Surprisingly smooth given the very high ABV. One thing is for sure: the folks at Real Minero are masters of their craft.
Nic Hnastchenko
108 reviewsBatch RME-06 from 2017. I like a mezcal over 50%, this espadin did not disappoint, but their Largo has my heart (and I tasted that right before this).
thamthong
47 reviewsbatch L-00401, ‘08, don lorenzo angeles mendoza. fragrant and floral nose that makes it seem more like a sake or gin. roasted agave becomes more apparent as it opens. drinks mineral spring water. smooth and very refreshing. clay is at the upper end of the threshold for being pleasant, which is a great thing. easy and very pleasant drinking with this one.
Tyler
641 reviewsThis is a next level Espadin and it ain’t cheap. The one I tried is from nearly 10 years old! There are notes of clay, wood, and earth along with mint, vanilla, and lemon peel. It’s robust without being overpowering. There is a great balance here. Definitely try it if you see it. Batch L-00401 from 2008.
Jonny
705 reviewsBatch L-00401 from 2008. Bottle 735/2267. Hints of clay and light peat aromas. This is SUPER soft on the palate! Notes of cherry, dried apples, and stewed strawberries. This is light and refreshing. Highly recommended.