Reviews / Vago Arroqueno en Barro
Review · · by The Editors
Vago Arroqueno en Barro
Aquilino's arroqueño, distilled in clay – dense and structurally clear
Score: 4.0/5 agaves
- Producer: Vago Mezcal
- Maestro: Salomon "Tio Rey" Rodriguez
- Region: Sola de Vega, Oaxaca
- Agave: Arroqueño
- ABV: 52%
- Price: $70 ($$)
Verdict
The en-barro line is the strongest argument in Vago's catalog for paying a premium over the copper-still Aquilino bottles. The arroqueño is reference-adjacent, not quite Real Minero's territory, but in the same conversation, and at 52% proof the clay-still texture does structural work that copper-still arroqueños simply can't match. Aquilino García López's hand shows in every decision. Consensus 3.8 is conservative; we'd land at 4. An excellent wild-agave bottle at the high end of the Vago range.
Clay-still arroqueño is where Vago's ambition shows
Tasting notes
Nose: Dark honey – then bay leaf, cured meat, hot stone
Palate: Very textured at 52% – the clay-still signature amplifies arroqueño's natural density. Aquilino García López's production rigor is legible
Finish: Saline, warming, endless
The bottom line
An excellent wild-agave bottle at the high end of the Vago range
Where to buy online
We found this bottle at 2 US retailers. Prices and stock vary – click through to check.