Reviews / El Recuerdo de Oaxaca con Gusano
Review · · by The Editors
El Recuerdo de Oaxaca con Gusano
Gusano bottling – the tourist-bottle format with the larva in the bottle, a marketing artifact rather than a quality signal
Score: 2.5/5 agaves
- Producer: El Recuerdo de Oaxaca Mezcal
- Region: Tlacolula, Oaxaca
- Agave: Espadin
- ABV: 40%
- Price: $37 ($)
Verdict
The larva doesn't make the mezcal better or worse than the standard Recuerdo, it just makes the bottle more giftable. The gusano tradition is real; the commercial bottling of it is mostly theater. Skip unless you're buying a stunt gift; the liquid is identical to the standard Recuerdo, which you shouldn't buy either.
The worm is a marketing decision, not a quality marker
Tasting notes
Nose: Cooked agave with faint smoke
Palate: At 40% the bottle reads thin. The worm is a novelty and a historical artifact from the mid-century Mexican spirits marketing playbook; the liquid is commercial-tier regardless of what's floating in the bottle
Finish: With a faint smoke fade, short
The bottom line
Skip unless the worm itself is the point of the purchase
Where to buy online
We found this bottle at 4 US retailers. Prices and stock vary – click through to check.