Reviews / Del Maguey Vida de Muertos

Review · · by The Editors

Del Maguey Vida de Muertos

Vida's Day-of-the-Dead cousin – 45%, with actual shoulders

Score: 3.5/5 agaves

Del Maguey Vida de Muertos bottle
  • Producer: Del Maguey Mezcal
  • Maestro: Marcos Cruz Mendez, Paciano Cruz Nolasco
  • Region: San Luis del Rio, Oaxaca
  • Agave: Espadin
  • ABV: 45%
  • Price: $54 ($)

Verdict

Vida de Muertos is Del Maguey's seasonal release that points out what the year-round Vida is missing – five more points of ABV, and the agave shows up for work. Buy this when you see it, and treat Vida itself as the compromised version. Marcos Cruz Mendez and Paciano Cruz Nolasco can do better than 40% and this bottle proves it.

This is what Vida should be, all the time

Tasting notes

Nose: Cooked agave up front. Warm spice, lime peel, dry smoke underneath

Palate: Vida's 40% becomes Vida de Muertos' 45% – San Luis del Rio espadín from Marcos Cruz Mendez and Paciano Cruz Nolasco, the extra proof filling in Vida's thin middle

Finish: Medium-long, clean, warming

The bottom line

Buy when available. Vida at proof that holds

Where to buy online

We found this bottle at 4 US retailers. Prices and stock vary – click through to check.

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