Reviews / Bozal Cempasúchil
Review · · by The Editors
Bozal Cempasúchil
Bozal's cempasúchil – espadín distilled with marigold flowers, and the category's most surprising commercial release
Score: 5.0/5 agaves
- Producer: Bozal Mezcal
- Maestro: Marcelino Ortiz
- Region: Etla, Oaxaca
- Agave: Espadin
- ABV: 47%
- Price: $150 ($$)
Verdict
Cempasúchil is the Day of the Dead flower, and the bottle carries that cultural context without leaning on it as a marketing crutch. Reference for the category work. Bozal Cempasúchil is the rare flavored-mezcal release that earns its category label. Reference for the category work in a sub-format most producers treat as gimmick territory.
The 5.0 consensus on a flavored mezcal tells you something genuine is happening here
Tasting notes
Nose: Warm marigold (the flower's specific slightly-citrusy floral signature), cooked agave, citrus peel, faint spice. The floral notes arrive integrated rather than layered
Palate: Densely composed integration at 47%. The marigold reads as an herbal accent that elevates the espadín without dominating – a notoriously hard recipe balance that Bozal gets right where most fruit/flower-distilled mezcals go wrong
Finish: Unending. Floral, warm, layered, with a late honey note
The bottom line
A category surprise. Don't overlook it
Where to buy online
We found this bottle at 2 US retailers. Prices and stock vary – click through to check.