Reviews / CLAN55 Espadin

Review · · by The Editors

CLAN55 Espadin

CLAN55 – 55% espadín from a specialty range where the proof is doing most of the work

Score: 3.0/5 agaves

CLAN55 Espadin bottle
  • Producer: CLAN55 Mezcal
  • Region: San Juan del Rio, Santa María Quiegolani, Oaxaca
  • Agave: Espadin
  • ABV: 55%
  • Price: $60 ($)

Verdict

55% is the headline; the agave isn't being asked to carry the bottle, which is the wrong ratio for a serious release. High proof alone doesn't save commercial-tier production – the numbers on the label can't do the agave's work. Buy Dixeebe's 52% espadín instead: similar money, less proof, better bottle.

High proof doesn't automatically elevate espadín

Tasting notes

Nose: Warm stone, cooked agave, a faint citrus high note and trace of mineral damp

Palate: Concentrated at 55% – the proof carries but the base espadín is unremarkable. High proof alone doesn't save commercial-tier production; this bottle's proof is doing more work than the distillation did, and the composition reads as proof-first rather than agave-first

Finish: Warm, drying, with a slow smoke fade

The bottom line

The Dixeebe espadín at 52% is similarly-priced and more interesting