Vago Elote – Aquilino García López

Drank this while rewatching “Agave,” remembering Maestro Aquilino and his contributions to modern mezcal in the USA via Judah and Vago. Wish I would have been able to visit his palenque during his life.

Wow, that roasted corn definitely shines through on the nose and palate. Mesquite and dust on the nose, with some cheese funk and mint hiding among the corn notes. More corn on the palate with leather, dirt, and cotija cheese. Funky and delicious. Aquilino was a master for sure. Descansa en paz Aquilino.

Tasted this while watching Agave: Spirit of a Nation-which features Don Aquilino. I really tried to smell and taste the corn…but couldn’t. I guess I must try it again 😉
Aroma was strong with agave and pepper. Taste was even stronger with more pepper and hay. Mouthfeel was viscous and nice and the initial heat mellowed to pleasing warmth. Finish was the best part: warm, long with some minerals in the background. Conclusion: I need to try this again.
UPDATE FEB 2021: still like this a lot. Very strong taste. Finish is still the most incredible sensation. Lot FEB 2020 @ 50.4abv. Bump half a star.

Nose is really sweet; ethanol, mineral spirits, nail-polish remover. Tastes of overripe cantaloupe, sweet corn, and bubble gum mingle nicely with minerality and roasty notes. Finish is ethanol hot but not as peppery as some lower ABV mezcals. Overall, the high ABV is not particularly apparent to me with this one. It’s overpriced for what it is, and I’ve definitely had brands I’ve liked as much or more for 20$ less. But that’s all the complaint I can muster. It’s quite nice.

Mezcal Vago Elote

This is an Offering from Vago, produced by Aquilino García López. This is made from Aave Espadin that has been infused with toasted corn similar to the Pechuga fasion.

ABV: 51.1%

Nose: Earthy, clay, peppery, spicy, slight corn.

Palate: Medium oily mouthfeel, warm, Musty Corn, Earthy, Clay, Pepper, Heat

Finish: Medium Length, Corn, Earth, Pepper, Spice, Must, Baking Spices.

Overall this is a good offering, the corn notes are subtle enough not to be overpowering, but add an interesting flavor that I have not had in any of the Mezcal I have tried so far. Given this is one of the more affordable bottles around me in terms of Mezcal, this is an easy future pickup.

Lot A-09-EL-18 (March 2018), 50.5%

Nose: A plate of freshly made tortillas with grilled sweet vegetables, plus touches of vanilla sugar glaze, mango, raspberry lemonade, leafy greens and light ash. Lots of alcohol too.

Palate: Grapefruit, citrus pith, cornbread, apricot, roasted pepper, light ashy smoke. Medium-full body.

Finish: A hit of alcohol heat, then more savory with grilled corn salsa, lime, roasted peppers, and wood smoke. Medium-short length.

Not much in the way of complexity, but the corn is a nice counterpoint to the sweet espadin, and at over 50% it has that Aquilino kick and thick body.

Lot A-01-EL-18, 50.6% ABV. I don’t know what to make of this stuff. I’ve tried it several times with mixed feelings. More than anything I have the impression that it’s super hot tasting with a somewhat oily texture and not much interesting going on flavor-wise. I keep coming back to it because people whose opinions I respect seem to like it, but I find it sort of brutal. I’ve only tried samples from this one lot though, so perhaps I should seek out a different lot. I’ll try again periodically and if it’s warranted I’ll revise my review.

One of the first mezcals I purchased, and whenever I go back to this bottle, I’m reminded of how much I like it. My least favorite aspect is the alcohol on the nose, but that quickly gets set aside as I also pick up a combo of smoke and sweetness. It has a creamy mouthfeel and makes my gums and tongue tingle. Tropical fruit and caramelized agave on the palate, followed by the best part – the finish!

I love the finish on this. Not only does it linger, but it has such a pleasant minerality (like sucking on a sun-dried river rock) coupled with a candy-like bubblegum sweetness. Yum!