Vago vs. Real Minero: two of the most-distributed serious mezcals, side by side

Vago and Real Minero are two of the small handful of artesanal mezcal brands that have managed wide US distribution without compromising the production. Both run multiple agaves, both work with named maestros, both bottle at 47-55% ABV across most of their lineup. They are also, in the way that two careful producers can be, making opposite cases for what an artesanal mezcal should taste like.

Vago's house style is clean and aromatic. Aquilino García López, the founding maestro, set up Vago to bottle mezcals that read clearly – the agave should be legible on the nose, the smoke should sit politely as seasoning, the finish should be long but not abrasive. The Vago lineup runs from a $65 jabalí-espadín up through mexicano and tepextate at $70 to wild-agave singles at $150, and across the lineup the through-line is restraint. Vago bottles let you taste the agave species first.

Real Minero's house style is the opposite philosophy. Carlos Méndez Sosa (and now his daughter Graciela Ángeles) make some of the most assertively-flavored mezcals in commercial distribution. Clay-pot ancestral methods, often higher proof than Vago, denser palate weight, more aggressive smoke, longer finish. A Real Minero bottle commands the room. Where Vago whispers, Real Minero argues.

Tasted side-by-side, the difference is immediate. Pour a Vago Espadín and a Real Minero ensamble into copitas at the same proof and the Real Minero will dominate the nose – denser cooked agave, more pronounced smoke, more mineral on the back end. The Vago is cleaner, more legible, easier in the way that a Burgundian Pinot is easy compared to an Etna Rosso. Neither is wrong. They're different aesthetic decisions about what mezcal is for.

The price comparison is roughly even. Vago's lineup runs $65-150; Real Minero's runs $70-200. Real Minero's cheapest bottle sits where Vago's mid-range starts; Real Minero's top-end is somewhat more expensive. The price reflects production methods (clay pots are slower than copper) and the rarity of the agaves Real Minero works with – largo, marteño, coyota, bottles other producers rarely attempt.

Where to start with each. For Vago: the mexicano ($70 / 4.5) is the right introduction – distinctive, fairly priced, and shows the brand's restraint clearly. After that, the jabalí-espadín ($65 / 4.5) for a less-common agave at the entry tier. For Real Minero: the espadín ensamble ($70 / 4.5) is the entry-point because it's the bottle where you can hear the Real Minero house style without an unfamiliar wild agave on top. After that, the largo at $170.

Which we'd recommend. Building a serious mezcal shelf with one bottle from each: Vago's mexicano and Real Minero's espadín ensamble are the right pairing – opposite poles of the artesanal range, both around $70, both serious. With one slot only: Vago is the easier bottle to live with day-to-day, Real Minero is the more interesting bottle to drink with company. We've kept both in our cabinet for years and don't regret either.