I’ve actually been drinking this mezcal for a while now, as you can tell from what’s left in the bottle in the picture above. I bought it in Mexico City at El Palenquito and it’s one of two mezcals that Enmascarado makes—a 45% and a rather hearty 54%. The 45% seen here is pretty light and bright, with a really sweet nose. It’s an easy drinker, quite smooth throughout, and not terribly spicy or complex. Gentle on the smoke, it’s a touch dry and vegetal, with a little tobacco vibe before it gives way to a bit of roast fruit later on… banana? It reminds me, only experientially, of visiting a tobacco plantation in rural Cuba. I would definitely like to try their higher-proof expression, but this one is a very respectable and solid entrée before hitting the hard stuff. Enmascarado says the 45 is a “party mezcal to share in the night,” and that seems pretty dead-on.

Per Enmascarado’s website, this mezcal is 100% organic, cooked in an underground oven, double-distilled in a copper alembic, and adjusted with spring water to 45.2%. It’s made from mature espadín in Santiago Matatlan, Oaxaca, by maestro mezcalero Guillermo Abad Hernández and family.