Reviews / El Sarao Oaxaca Espadin

Review · · by The Editors

El Sarao Oaxaca Espadin

Standard Total Wine espadín at 45%. Store-brand economics producing store-brand results

Score: 2.5/5 agaves

El Sarao Oaxaca Espadin bottle
  • Producer: El Sarao Oaxaca Mezcal, Total Wine Spirits Direct
  • Region: San Dionisio Ocotepec, Oaxaca
  • Agave: Espadin
  • ABV: 45%
  • Price: $30 ($)

Verdict

A functional house pour for restaurant back-bars that need 'mezcal' on a list, not a bottle worth seeking out, not a bottle worth avoiding, just a bottle that exists for distribution. Buy Banhez Espadín-Barril at $35 instead; the cooperative-made bottle does the same job with more aromatic complexity for less money.

Commercial store-brand espadín at the distribution price tier it's built for

Tasting notes

Nose: Cooked agave, soft smoke, green apple

Palate: Commercial store-brand production at commercial store-brand economics. The agave is legitimate, the proof is slightly higher than mass-market espadín, but there's nothing distinguishing in the glass; thin at 45%

Finish: With a faint smoke fade, short

The bottom line

A skip. Banhez Espadín at similar money does more

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