Reviews / El Buho Mezcal

Review · · by The Editors

El Buho Mezcal

Standard El Buho espadín at 43%. The entry bottle the brand's distribution runs on

Score: 3.0/5 agaves

El Buho Mezcal bottle
  • Producer: El Buho Mezcal
  • Maestro: Octavio Jiménez Monterroza
  • Region: Santiago Matatlán, Oaxaca
  • Agave: Espadin
  • ABV: 43%
  • Price: $42 ($)

Verdict

Clean and legitimate, also flatter and less interesting than El Buho's wild-agave lineup – a commercial compromise from a brand that clearly knows better. The entry tier subsidizes the specialty releases; that's the trade every specialty brand makes. Buy the wild-agave El Buhos; treat this one as the bottle that paid for them.

The entry El Buho is the commercial compromise the range sells to subsidize the rest

Tasting notes

Nose: Cooked agave with warm stone underneath, faint smoke, green apple

Palate: Medium at 43%. The entry El Buho – the bottle the brand's distribution numbers depend on, without the distinctive character of the higher-proof bottlings above it in the range

Finish: Medium-long, dry, with a faint smoke fade

The bottom line

The higher-proof El Buhos outperform meaningfully

Where to buy online

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

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