Reviews / Nucano Joven

Review · · by The Editors

Nucano Joven

Nucano's entry espadín is where the house makes sense

Score: 3.5/5 agaves

Nucano Joven bottle
  • Producer: Nucano Mezcal
  • Maestro: Don Carlos
  • Region: San Dionisio Ocotepec, Oaxaca
  • Agave: Espadin
  • ABV: 40%
  • Price: $50 ($)

Verdict

Forget the añejo and the cuishe; this is the bottle Nucano should be leading with. A tidy Matatlán espadín that knows what it is, priced for the rail, honest about its ABV, pleasant neat and perfectly useful in a Negroni. Consider it the floor for why San Dionisio Ocotepec gets name-checked in the first place.

Every house needs one of these, and Nucano's is better than the brand's barrel-aging ambitions

Tasting notes

Nose: Cooked pineapple, wood smoke, chamomile, brown sugar

Palate: Soft, round, legibly Matatlán. The 40% is honest, no pretense of being a sipping monster, just a well-made bar bottle

Finish: Medium, slightly sweet, clean

The bottom line

A reliable bar espadín. Stick to this and skip the rest of the line

Where to buy online

We found this bottle at 2 US retailers. Prices and stock vary – click through to check.

More from Nucano Mezcal