Reviews / IBA 40
Review · · by The Editors
IBA 40
A kosher espadín at commercial proof – correct, not convincing
Score: 2.5/5 agaves
- Producer: IBA Mezcal
- Maestro: Faustino Ramos
- Region: San Pablo Huixtepec, Oaxaca
- Agave: Espadin
- ABV: 40%
- Price: $70 ($)
Verdict
IBA's kosher-certification angle makes it a useful SKU for specific menus, but the liquid itself is what you'd expect from a 40% entry espadín: polite, forgettable, proof-limited. Pass in favor of the IBA 55 if you care about the brand at all. For a more serious 40%+ kosher program, such a thing barely exists, which tells you where the category pressure sits.
Kosher certification is the headline; the liquid is the filler
Tasting notes
Nose: Cooked agave, then mild smoke, faint vanilla
Palate: 40% – Faustino Ramos's kosher-certified espadín is cleanly made, but at 40% the character that the higher-proof IBA 55 has is mostly washed out
Finish: Warm, clean, short
The bottom line
Pass. Go IBA 55 within the brand
Where to buy online
We found this bottle at 2 US retailers. Prices and stock vary – click through to check.