Mezcal Amores is an artisanal mezcal made in Santiago Matatlán in Oaxaca from espadin agave that take ten years to grow.
Mezcal Amores – Photo Supplied
Mention mezcal and one is often asked if it refers to tequila’s poor cousin or “the one with the worm”. Neither is a worthy description of the smoky spirit that has its roots in ancient indigenous rituals.
Mezcal is a highly complex spirit crafted in small batches from 100% agave coming from 22 agave species, cooked in underground pits which gives the spirit its distinctive smoky character. This spirit category is growing exponentially, having expanded from 25 to over 121 brands in the last 6 to 7 years.
Mezcal Amores is a relative newcomer to the Australian market. Launched in March 2014 with “In Love with Amores” competition, it is already gaining traction in popular Sydney bars and on cocktail lists. The brand is 100% artisanal and the biggest selling of its kind in Mexico City.
The spirit is made in Santiago Matatlán in Oaxaca from espadin agave that take ten years to grow. The piñas (harvested agave which resemble pineapples) are cooked for five days in underground ovens, crushed by a traditional Egyptian mill, and undergo open air fermentation in wooden vats between 5 to 15 days depending the period of the year, then triple distilled in wood-fired copper stills.
As an artisanal production, the brand has social responsibility and is committed to the sustainability of agave and giving back to the community for reforestation with plantation of ten agaves for every agave used as well as fair-trade.
Mezcal Amores is bottled at 37% ABV which means there is no big alcohol hit to assault the senses. The triple distillation method gives the agave spirit smoothness without losing the smoky properties. It’s elegant and earthy, smooth and soft with good smoke which makes it an ideal mezcal for a newcomer to the category as well as a good mixing mezcal.
The best way to enjoy Mezcal Amores is to sip it neat, not shoot it, and savour its earthiness and smoke, or use it in cocktails such as Pineapple Mezcal Sour (recipe below). The spirit also pairs well with food such as seafood dishes and dark chocolate with fresh fruit for dessert.
And don’t look for the worm – it is merely used by some brands as a marketing gimmick. Although when dried, crushed and turned into worm salt with chilli and used to rim a glass, it adds more punch to cocktails.
Mezcal Amores Cocktail: Pineapple Mezcal Sour
Ingredients
30ml Mezcal Amores
30ml Fresh Pineapple Juice
20ml Fresh lemon juice
15 Agave Syrup
10ml egg white
Method
Mix all ingredients and dry shake.
Add ice and shake again (wet shake).
Strain into glass.
Garnish with bitters and mint leaves.
This article was originally published on January 27, 2015 on our sister website Gourmantic in collaboration with Mextrade.
