Reviews / Contraluz Cristalino

Review · · by The Editors

Contraluz Cristalino

A cristalino-filtered mezcal – category confusion at 36-40%

Score: 1.5/5 agaves

Contraluz Cristalino bottle
  • Producer: Contraluz Mezcal
  • Region: Tlacolula, Oaxaca
  • Agave: Espadin
  • ABV: 36%
  • Price: $60 ($)

Verdict

A category failure. Cristalino is a post-aging filtration process that strips oak color (and aromatic compounds) from aged spirit – popular in commercial tequila, catastrophic in mezcal. Contraluz at 36-40% applies cristalino filtration to an already-diluted commercial base, producing a bottle that carries as spirit-flavored water with synthetic vanilla notes. Cristalino mezcal defeats the purpose of mezcal. Consensus 2.0 is generous.

Cristalino mezcal defeats the purpose of mezcal

Tasting notes

Nose: Faint cooked agave, then acetone, synthetic vanilla

Palate: Thin and sweet at 36-40% – the cristalino filtration has stripped everything interesting

Finish: Short, bitter

The bottom line

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Where to buy online

We found this bottle at 3 US retailers. Prices and stock vary – click through to check.