The varietal of agave used to make Vago Mexicano is native to not just the region or the valley, but to the actual hillside owned by the mezcalero.
About this mezcal
Vago Mexicano has a nose of peaches and cinnamon, a silky body, a well-balanced palate of ocean breeze and hot desert rocks with a finish of toasted vanilla and caramel. The maguey Mexicano that Aquilino uses for this Mezcal is sourced from his and his neighbor’s farm in Candelaria Yegolé. This varietal is native to not just the region or the valley, but that actual hillside.
Vago Mezcal
Mezcal Vago began when co-founder Judah Kuper visited a hospital in Oaxaca, Mexico. He fell in love with the nurse who treated him. Her father, Aquilino Garcia, was a sustenance farmer who also produced mezcal. Judah and Aquilino, along with Judah’s longtime friend Dylan Sloan, launched Mezcal Vago. In 2013, their first exported bottles arrived in Texas. Each of their mezcals is produced naturally in a traditional palenque with no additives. The brand aims to empower both the master craftsmen with a celebration of his art. Also the consumer by giving them the knowledge they need to find a great mezcal. The brand plants 3 agaves for each single agave they harvest. Their goal is to end the use wild agave by 2025 for most of their releases.
In 2017, Mezcal Vago began using different color labels for their different mezcaleros. Emigdio Jarquin (blue label) distills in copper with refrescador. Aquilino and Joel Barriga (tan and gold labels respectively) distill in copper. Tio Rey (red label) distills in clay pots. All their mezcaleros use different water sources and make different distillation cuts. In 2018, Mezcal Vago established an investment partnership with Samson and Surrey. With the new partnership, each Mezcal Vago mezcalero has a stake in Samson and Surrey.
In 2021, Mezcal Vago went through its first major brand redesign since their launch in 2013.
Learn more Mezcal Vago:
- The Mezcal Vago Tasting Room in Oaxaca on Mezcal Reviews
- A podcast interview with co-founder Judah Kuper on Show de Vie Podcast w/Mike G
- The Mezcal Vago blog Mas Mezcal
Review this bottle
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stigibeu
33 reviewsUnexpectedly got to try this at Mexico in a Bottle D.C. Didn’t get the bottle details, but I know it was the famous 90/10. And it was fantastic. Even well into the second tasting hour of the event, this stood out for its earthy sweetness, which was unique as far as I’ve experienced. I think I even asked for a second pour. Now if only this was still on the shelf somewhere. 4.75.
Nic Hnastchenko
108 reviewsI messed up and didn’t get a pic of this one. Was 51.9% from Aquilino Garcia. Didn’t taste too alcoholic and was a nice contrast to the Espadin + Mexicano en Barro I tried it next to.
BartFargo
21 reviewsLot A-08-M-17 (August 2017), 51.9%
Nose: Smoky sweet – a bushel of fresh peaches drizzled in cream and peppery mesquite barbecue sauce. Aromatic herbs swirl above, including paprika, pine needles, bay leaf, eucalyptus, juniper berries and olive. Mulch and hot sand lend some earthiness. Quite alcoholic as well.
Palate: More barbecued peaches, now with an earthy roasted agave undertone and a surprising dollop of cream. Tangy-sweet pickled chiles then lead into lavender, paprika and pine needle. Medium-thin body.
Finish: Peach skins, sweet cream and smoke. Mesquite barbecue sauce returns in a bit, then comes an intensely herbaceous tail of bay leaf, cedar, pine, rosemary, anise and paprika. Medium-long length.
Never had a mezcal as powerfully herbaceous as this one. The profile brings to mind a bouquet garni or herbal barbecue rub more than a medicinal digestif, and the peaches and cream so dominant on the nose are more like sweeter counterpoints on the palate. Lacks a bit in development, but it makes up for that with staying power on the finish.
Lot A-08-M-17 (August 2017), 51.9%
Nose: Smoky sweet – a bushel of fresh peaches drizzled in cream and peppery mesquite barbecue sauce. Aromatic herbs swirl above, including paprika, pine needles, bay leaf, eucalyptus, juniper berries and olive. Mulch and hot sand lend some earthiness. Quite alcoholic as well.
Palate: More barbecued peaches, now with an earthy roasted agave undertone and a surprising dollop of cream. Tangy-sweet pickled chiles then lead into lavender, paprika and pine
OscarR
4 reviewsThe best Mexicano I’ve had. 2014 bottle. Complex and earthy with some serious viscosity.
Rorschach
43 reviewsMy Mexicano’s have been buttery, kinda sweet, until this one. It has quite a bite with minimal mouthfeel. Gonna let it sit for a while. Overpriced, so not again.
Lot A-08-M-17
51.9% abv
rsidrys
50 reviewsComplex! Ever evolving experience with each sip. On the nose, grass near an ocean, lemon zest, earthy nuttiness. In your mouth you get that high proof tingle followed by deep earth, roasted agave, flowers, sweet potato, and cypress/pine. Tons of heat on the finish fades into pepper, minerals, and caramel. 90/10 blend from October 2014.
GreenspointTexas
385 reviewsNose of fusels and wet stone. Sweet grass, clay, and a short finish. Excellent for the abv 4.5/5
El_Cura
31 reviewsLOT A-11-DV-M-13, 90/10 blend, 49.4%, fermented in July 2013.
From Moreno’s Store in Chicago. Talk about a living mezcal. Got home in the afternoon and was anxious to try. Forgot I’d hardly eaten all day. Smelled like rubbing alcohol. What can go wrong, right? Within seconds, synapses started short-circuiting and the peripheral hallucinations got my attention. This mezcal scolded my arse for being careless. Barn funk, Oma’s armoire, wet dirt, minerals in the nose and taste the spiciness and fire roasting your tongue.
A lot more simpatico and forgiving after an offering of pastor tacos.
LOT A-11-DV-M-13, 90/10 blend, 49.4%, fermented in July 2013.
From Moreno’s Store in Chicago. Talk about a living mezcal. Got home in the afternoon and was anxious to try. Forgot I’d hardly eaten all day. Smelled like rubbing alcohol. What can go wrong, right? Within seconds, synapses started short-circuiting and the peripheral hallucinations got my attention. This mezcal scolded my arse for being careless. Barn funk, Oma’s armoire, wet dirt, minerals in the nose and taste the spiciness an
Chris
40 reviewsThis too is the October 2014 90 / 10 batch A-37-M-14. Not a super strong nose. Melon comes to mind in the middle. I was tasting this along with the Marca Negra Dobadan, which for me is a notch higher, but has a much different taste. Same could be said of the Jolgorio Mexicano. I have about a half a bottle left of the 2014 and will have to compare it to one of the newer Vago Mexicano batches soon to take advantage of the new editing reviews function.
thamthong
47 reviewslot A-37-M-14, the legendary october ’14 90/10 blend. scoured the internet based on the reviews for this particular batch, and after much ado found a store that had it. initial impressions upon opening skewed towards underwhelmed but it’s settled into itself considerably. fragrant, sweet, and spicy. a touch thin on the palate and medicinal on the finish. 4 stars.
lot A-08-M-17. 100% mexicano. 51.9%. peaches and gingerbread, buttery undertone that gives this immense richness. gets a bit floral as it opens up. a hint of maple syrup kicks in during the long, sweet and earthy finish. radiant warmth as it goes down. very autumnal. mel torme singing “agave roasting on an open fire.” not particularly complex, just stupid delicious. 5 stars.
lot A-37-M-14, the legendary october ’14 90/10 blend. scoured the internet based on the reviews for this particular batch, and after much ado found a store that had it. initial impressions upon opening skewed towards underwhelmed but it’s settled into itself considerably. fragrant, sweet, and spicy. a touch thin on the palate and medicinal on the finish. 4 stars.
lot A-08-M-17. 100% mexicano. 51.9%. peaches and gingerbread, buttery undertone that gives this immense richness. gets
razorbackmike
155 reviewsvery deep and earthy.fresh garden produce with soil still on the veggies.this bottle was the 100 percent mexxicano.caramel with mild black pepper.some hint of banana and citrus.what amazed me was the very long finish.the taste just kept on going.would not start the night with this one unless the mezcals that follow are as good if not better.it can overshadow lesser spirits.lovely!
Jonny
708 reviewsThe 90/10 Mexicano/Espadin blend of this mezcal from October 2014 is some of the best mezcal I’ve ever had. It’s hot with some notes of lemon, pepper, and wildflowers. This Oct 2014 release is an easy 5-star. The 100% Mexicano from January 2016 is more of a 4 star mezcal. It’s still great. I don’t use the 4 star review lightly. At 52.1% ABV, this is quite laidback and relaxed. I’d like to try some of the other straight Mexicano releases that Aquilino has made to compare this one. For me, the 90/10 blend is a bit more complex and has more bite. Both lots are great and worth trying.
The 90/10 Mexicano/Espadin blend of this mezcal from October 2014 is some of the best mezcal I’ve ever had. It’s hot with some notes of lemon, pepper, and wildflowers. This Oct 2014 release is an easy 5-star. The 100% Mexicano from January 2016 is more of a 4 star mezcal. It’s still great. I don’t use the 4 star review lightly. At 52.1% ABV, this is quite laidback and relaxed. I’d like to try some of the other straight Mexicano releases that Aquilino has made to com
Keith
35 reviewsLot A-37-M-14, 50.2% ABV. Peaches, Canela picosa, Crema Catalana; HOT & sweet pleasures galore.
Tyler
643 reviewsOne of my all-time favorite mezcals, in particular the 90/10 blend of Mexicano and Espadin from Aquilino Garcia Lopez, distilled in October 2014. This is a hot mezcal at 50.2% ABV and it’s dangerously tasty. It’s very bright on the nose with floral notes and subtle earthiness. There are bursting flavors of roasted agave, vanilla bean, cotton candy, lemon, pepper, and sage. This was a fairly large batch (for mezcal) at 841 liters so there are quite a few bottles out there.
The other Mexicano I’ve had is 100% Mexicano from January 2016, lot A-01-M-16. This Mexicano is delicious but does not have the complexity of the aforementioned ensamble; it’s a 4 star for me. It’s soft with a finishing bite, floral with light fruit.
One of my all-time favorite mezcals, in particular the 90/10 blend of Mexicano and Espadin from Aquilino Garcia Lopez, distilled in October 2014. This is a hot mezcal at 50.2% ABV and it’s dangerously tasty. It’s very bright on the nose with floral notes and subtle earthiness. There are bursting flavors of roasted agave, vanilla bean, cotton candy, lemon, pepper, and sage. This was a fairly large batch (for mezcal) at 841 liters so there are quite a few bottles out there.
The other M
Sandy
11 reviewsThe rare agave brings a rare and enjoyable flavor. I tried a batch from October 2014 and was impressed by the complex flavors.