Reviews / Mezcalero No. 1
Review · · by The Editors
Mezcalero No. 1
The bottling that launched the Craft Distillers mezcal conversation
Score: 4.0/5 agaves
- Producer: Mezcalero Mezcal
- Maestro: Joel Antonio Cruz
- Region: San Juan del Rio, Oaxaca
- Agave: Tepextate, Tobala
- ABV: 45.6%
- Price: $70 ($$)
Verdict
Mezcalero No. 1 set the template for US-market single-maestro releases. The bottle is still hard to beat – the wild ensamble is vivid and structurally complete, and the project's discipline was visible from the start. Earlier numbers are often the best.
The first number in the series still drinks like the best number
Tasting notes
Nose: Mint, wild herb, baked citrus, faint smoke
Palate: Electric ensamble – tepextate + tobalá at 45.6% ABV in the clay-still tradition of Santa Catarina Minas
Finish: Cooling, herbal – very long
The bottom line
A foundational bottle. Find one if you can