Wild Shot Reposado

Verdict

Wild Shot is a brand built on celebrity pedigree and cross-category aesthetics; the reposado is the bottle where that approach shows its seams. The cask treatment flattens the agave into a vanilla-oak note that reads more like bourbon-lite than mezcal. Skip it and buy Wahaka Añejo if you want a wooded mezcal with a producer behind it.

Tasting notes

Nose: Vanilla, light oak, a muted agave note buried under caramel

Palate: Sweet and smooth, the wood treatment doing the heavy lifting while the base spirit hides. Neutered rather than polished

Finish: Rounded, forgettable, short

The bottom line

Bourbon-lite in a mezcal bottle. Reposado should sharpen, not sand down

Where to buy online

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

• Old Town Tequila – $57
• Caskers – $100