Reviews / Enmascarado 45
Review · · by The Editors
Enmascarado 45
The 45% version – a commercial hedge against the 54%, and a case study in what proof does to an otherwise identical bottle
Score: 2.5/5 agaves
- Producer: Enmascarado Mezcal
- Maestro: Guillermo Abad Hernandez
- Region: Santiago Matatlán, Oaxaca
- Agave: Espadin
- ABV: 45%
- Price: $50 ($)
Verdict
Pass on the 45% – this is the commercial-compromise bottling that exists so distributors can hit a price point, and the spine the 54% delivers is simply missing. The agave is there in outline, but the drink reads as a shadow of its higher-proof sibling. Split-proof ranges almost always signal a producer bending to retail math. Consensus 2.8 is generous.
Same liquid, diluted for scale. You can taste the compromise
Tasting notes
Nose: A faint smoke, a muted fruit note and trace of dried herb
Palate: Medium-bodied, the same base bottle with the proof cut to hit a broader market
Finish: Dry, with a faint smoke fade
The bottom line
Spend the extra on the 54%
Where to buy online
We found this bottle at 2 US retailers. Prices and stock vary – click through to check.