Reviews / Creyente Joven
Review · · by The Editors
Creyente Joven
Diageo bought the recipe. They forgot to buy the character
Score: 2.0/5 agaves
- Producer: Creyente Mezcal
- Maestro: Mijail Zarate, Pedro Mateo
- Region: Tlacolula, Yautepec, Oaxaca
- Agave: Espadin
- ABV: 40%
- Price: $70 ($$)
Verdict
Creyente is what happens when a multinational studies mezcal and ships the summary, competent, clean, and completely charmless, an approximation of Oaxaca built by people who read about it. Everything distinctive has been smoothed off; the label tells you you're drinking mezcal, the liquid doesn't bother. Skip it for Banhez at the same money, or almost any Del Maguey village bottling one tier up. Consensus 2.4 is generous.
Commercial mezcal in its most naked form
Tasting notes
Nose: Faint smoke up front. Confected vanilla, a clear alcoholic heat at 40%, a trace of cane sugar underneath
Palate: Thin, sweet, industrial, the kind of mezcal built to satisfy a spreadsheet. The agave is present structurally, absent aromatically, and the proof is chosen for distribution economics rather than for anything the drinker might want
Finish: Slightly hot, forgettable, short
The bottom line
Skip. Any boutique-import espadín at the same price outperforms by a full tier
Where to buy online
We found this bottle at 4 US retailers. Prices and stock vary – click through to check.
- Flaviar – $41.99
- Total Wine – $43.99
- Binny's – $49.99
- Mission Liquor