Reviews / Vago Pechuga - Joel Barriga
Review · · by The Editors
Vago Pechuga - Joel Barriga
Barriga pechuga from Hacienda Tapanala – bright, savory, proofed high
Score: 3.5/5 agaves
- Producer: Vago Mezcal
- Maestro: Joel Barriga
- Region: Hacienda Tapanala, Oaxaca
- Agave: Espadin
- ABV: 52.6%
- Price: $200 ($$)
Verdict
Joel Barriga's pechuga is the brighter, higher-proof counterpoint to Jarquín's Miahuatlán version, different terroir, different balance, same commitment to treating pechuga as distillation rather than garnish. At 52.6% the bottle is working hard, and the structure holds. Reading at 3.5 given the Barriga mexicano miss, though this bottle is a recovery.
52.6% pechuga is the format taking itself seriously
Tasting notes
Nose: Green melon, then cooked agave, savory fruit, toasted grain
Palate: Dense, with the Hacienda Tapanala bright-fruit signature sharpened by the pechuga run and the high proof keeping structure
Finish: Warming, savory – very long
The bottom line
Track it. Proof-forward pechuga from the Tapanala bench
Where to buy online
We found this bottle at 2 US retailers. Prices and stock vary – click through to check.
- Old Town Tequila
- Hi-Time Wine – $159.99